Before mounting his comeback in the second set, Kokkinakis admitted he was “very close” to throwing in the towel.
“It’s tough. It puts a dampener on the win, honestly. I felt like I was in autopilot mode,” he explained. “Usually I would be celebrating and probably yelling by the end of it. Obviously I’m happy that I won, but most of my focus is to how my arm is going to be.
“I need to go through these matches to see if I have a chance at AO.”
In the second round, last year’s surprise Shanghai champion Valentin Vacherot awaits. Ever the realist, Kokkinakis hopes the right combination of recovery and anti-inflammatories will allow him to get a crack at the No. 5 seed in a first-time meeting.
“I feel like I know what tomorrow’s looking like for me, and I don’t love it. I’m going to do everything I can in 48 hours to see if I can give myself a chance on Wednesday,” he asserted.
“One thing that I feel like I’ve always given, especially playing in Australia more than anything, is just whatever I have, I’m emptying the tank. I’m always giving my best.”
