'I've drunk with Nadal and Federer - here's why they're so different on nights out'

Thanasi Kokkinakis has spilt the beans on how and behave differently during a night out.

Currently ranked 87th in the ATP rankings, the 28-year-old from Adelaide has yet to progress beyond the third round of a Grand Slam in singles. He only faced off against tennis legend Federer once - causing quite the upset by defeating him in the round of 64 at the 2018 ATP Masters 1000 in Miami.

He's also encountered 'King of Clay' Nadal, losing in the round of 64 at the 2014 Australian Open and conceding a walkover at the US Open in 2019. While tennis enthusiasts often argue about whether Federer or Nadal is superior on the court, with their combined tally of 42 Grand Slam wins and three golds, Kokkinakis has offered his perspective on who makes for better company during a night out.

Reflecting on his career and encounters with some of the biggest names in tennis, he revealed to fellow pro Felix Mischker on the YouTube channel: "I heard Rafa doesn’t mind a night out.

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"I had one night out with him in Acapulco a while ago at the player's party thing. I didn't mind a tequila, obviously within reason within tournament. Fed's is classy, so a wine or champagne."

Kokkinakis also opened up about the party potential of tennis elites, name-dropping 24-time Grand Slam winner as a likely wild card on any night out. After witnessing the Serbian's celebratory posts post-Olympic victory, Kokkinakis shared: "I reckon Novak would be loose. I have seen some videos. I reckon Novak would be a fun night out."

One of the highlights of Kokkinakis' career to date came when he snagged doubles glory at the 2022 alongside compatriot . The dynamic duo dubbed 'The Special Ks' stunned competitors, ousting top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic before dispatching Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar to push through to the quarter-finals.

Their winning streak continued as they overpowered Tim Putz and Michael Venus in a semi-final showdown, setting the stage for a battle against Marcel Grannolers and Horacio Zebballos. Triumphing with finesse, they earned a spot in the historic all-Australian doubles final - the first since 1980 - squaring off against Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.

In the finale, The Special Ks rose victorious, securing their championship title with straight sets of 7-5, 6-4. As a result, Kokkinakis broke into the top 50 in the ATP's doubles rankings, sitting pretty at 46th. But he's found chasing the same dizzy heights of doubles success elusive, with no major beyond the third round since then.