Australian teenager has split with his coach Todd Langman after a 12-year-old relationship and will start working with Ben Mathias. Ninteen-year-old Kokkinakis, one of the just three teenagers in the top-100 alongside Hyeon Chung and Borna Coric, started playing under the guidance of Todd Langman at the age of seven.
Langman guided Kokkinakis to two Junior Grand Slam singles finals at the Australian Open and at the US Open in 2013. Kokkinakis is now the fourth ranked Australian player behind Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios and Sam Groth. The 19-year-old player of Greek origin replaced injured Nick Kyrgios for the Davis Cup match against Czech Republic where he came back from two sets down to beat Lukas Rosol in Ostrava. He is now ranked World Number 80.
“I guess it just ran its course and Thannasi just feels like he needs a new voice, so we just decided probably a week or a week and a half ago to just go our separate ways. I still want him win Slams but I just won’t be there, so it was disappointing but I wish him all the best. He has got a bright future and he is moving on to a great coach, so I am sure they will do well”, told Langman.
According to Mark Phillippoussis, the Australian teenager will not feel pressure in 2016.
“There is no pressure. For people to have expectations on you is a beautiful thing but in the end it’s up to him how he does and how hard he works and how much he wants it”, said Philippoussis. twice Grand Slam finalist at the US Open in 1998 and at Wimbledon in 2003, to the Adelaide Advirtiser.
“I believe that he can improve a lot even though he is pretty rounded. He is strong and and had a breakout year when people started to notice him. I belive next year he is going to have an even bigger year. The world is his oyster. You can tell he is going to be a very strong, muscular and has big things in store. It will be excitin to sit back and watch him”, said Philippoussis.
Next January Kokkinakis will try to improve his second round achieved last year at the Australian Open. At Melbourne Park Kokkinakis beat Ernests Gulbis in the first round before losing to his compatriot Sam Groth in the second round. In the French Open Kokkinakis he beat Bernard Tomic in the second round before losing to Novak Djokovic in the third round.
