Melbourne – So Philipp Kohlschreiber strolled into the largest interview room at the Australian Open, took a look around and was mischievously happy.
This way he could enjoy being here for once – “not bad”, said the tennis veteran with a smile as he looked into the almost empty hall in Melbourne. At short notice, the appointment with the 38-year-old from Augsburg had been moved from one of the smaller rooms for questions and answers to where the top players in the business normally take their seats. But somehow Kohlschreiber had earned it.
Struff disappointed
In the end, he not only won his opening match on the second day of the Australian Open with a 6:4, 7:5, 7:6 (7:0) victory over Italy’s Marco Cecchinato. And unlike the “hugely” disappointed Davis Cup player Jan-Lennard Struff, he was “impeccably” satisfied after the clear 4:6, 3:6, 2:6 against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Kohlschreiber also has a long history with the tournament and is fondly remembered by some in Australia after all these years.
“I’ve certainly had some great moments here for the tournament, or for me,” Kohlschreiber recalled. There was his 2008 win over then world number six Andy Roddick of the USA, there were performances against Spain’s Rafael Nadal.
“The gentleman who brought me here, he was still with me after my first big win against Andy Roddick, he smiles at me where he was waiting outside the locker room and says: “You’re amazing. Like the first day, you come out a minute ahead of time,” he told me good-humouredly, “I say sometimes, you’ve been around so long, you can’t really imagine being without it.””
Slipped in world rankings
This is the 68th time Kohlschreiber has competed in a Grand Slam tournament, very few have more. This is the 15th time he has competed at the Australian Open – and he has now secured a challenge against 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut on Thursday.
But the former top-20 player no longer takes the biggest venues in his sport for granted. Kohlschreiber has slipped to 134th in the world rankings. He moved into the main draw late. Kohlschreiber had already considered not starting the tennis year until February in Doha.
“Full throttle” until Wimbledon
But of course he is now “happy” to get the chance to reach the third round. Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut is “a bit like Nadal”, Kohlschreiber said, because he too fights for every point. But a win on a good day does not seem to be completely out of reach for him, even if it will only be his second match since October in Indian Wells.
Kohlschreiber now appears less frequently on the tennis tour. He now only plays the tournaments he feels like – and the pandemic conditions sometimes take away his desire. The question about the end of his career comes up again and again. “Until Wimbledon, I’ve decided to go full throttle,” he replied: “If I play good and successful tennis and score points and still get into tournaments I feel like, I would continue.” Even in 2023? “Why not? “
