"Wish I could give you a big hug" - Nick Kyrgios' heartfelt message for Thanasi Kokkinakis after devastating 2023 Australian Open loss to Andy Murray

Nick Kyrgios had heartfelt words for his best mate Thanasi Kokkinakis, who ended up on the losing side of his marathon clash with Andy Murray in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.

The duo played the second-longest match in Australian Open history, just eight minutes short of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s epic five-hours-53-minutes-long 2012 final. Andy Murray sealed the deal in the wee hours of the morning, with a convincing comeback 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-5 win.

Thanasi Kokkinakis exited the court teary-eyed. Reflecting on the match that slipped out of his hands despite having an early lead, the Aussie wrote on Instagram:

"Don’t really know what to say…. Wow, this f*cking sport man. Gave it everything I had last night and fell short. You’re a warrior Andy Murray and a honour to share that court with you. To everyone that supports me, THANKYOU. I’ll keep working… the show goes on."

The Aussie’s long-time friend Nick Kyrgios, with whom he won the 2022 Australian Open doubles title, was sad for his best mate. But celebrating his efforts and exceptional display of tennis, Kyrgios wrote on Twitter:

"I love you (Thanasi Kokkinakis). You did amazing bro head up you are playing sick tennis."

"Wish I could give you a big hug (bro)," he further wrote on his Instagram story.

Nick Kyrgios on Instagram story

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"When I’m around Thanasi, I definitely feel comfortable" - Nick Kyrgios on his special bond with Thanasi Kokkinakis

While the Nick Kyrgios-Thanasi Kokkinakis team was a no-show at the 2023 Australian Open due to the former’s injury withdrawal, the duo recently featured in Netflix’s tennis docuseries Break Point.

The first episode, titled “The Maverick,” highlighted the Aussie pair’s journey to their maiden Grand Slam doubles title at the 2022 tournament. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis spoke about their close bond that makes playing together special.

"Me and him get along really well and we’re both very competitive. We’re not just together because we’re good at tennis and we play well on court together. We spend sh*tloads of times off the court just talking rubbish with each other. Having each other’s friendship and company is everything. When you have such a close bond with someone, you know what makes them tick," Thanasi Kokkinakis said in the epiode.

"When I’m around Thanasi, I definitely feel comfortable and at home. That’s why we want to play doubles cause we can kind of just have fun. It’s a bit of a laugh and stress-free environment, which is hard to find, to be honest," Nick Kyrgios echoed.