Nick Kyrgios v Jacob Fearnley; Thanasi Kokkinakis v Roman Safiullin; Naomi Osaka v Caroline Garcia results, scores, schedule, draw, how to watch

Fresh from winning his opening round match at the Australian Open, Thanasi Kokkinakis has hit back at Australian great Tood Woodbridge for criticising his decision to play in Russia late last year.

Woodbridge said Kokkinakis should have focused more on his preseason fitness program late last year instead of playing an exhibition series in Russia.

He wondered if that contributed to Kokkinakis’ injury worries going into the Australian Open.

“He has to think hard about what he’s going to do to get the best tennis career out of himself,” Woodbridge told Nine’s Today Show.

“At the back end of the year he’s played Challengers and then he went and played exhibition matches that he didn’t need to do.

“Yes the money’s great and we all love putting that in our pocket and that’s exactly what he did, but that schedule hurts to start the year.”

Kokkinakis was quick to take aim at Woodbridge’s TV hosting before stating his fellow Aussie didn’t understand his injury situation and the difference in earnings for those outside the top events.

“That’s fine. Trying to make a good living, as well. That’s why he’s trying to host every game show there is under the sun. We’re trying to make a living as much as he is,” Kokkinakis said.

“Unfortunately, ATP sometimes, if you make a semifinal of a 250 event, you don’t get as much as what you would playing an exhibition. I’ve been pretty vocal that the season’s too long.

“Sometimes you got to weigh up your options as far as trying to do what’s best for your career, best for the ranking.

“It’s a tricky one. Obviously, it’s a lot less stress on my body, a lot less stress mentally. I missed a lot of years and a lot of money not playing with injuries and whatnot.

“If I have opportunities that come up, Laver Cup is an incredible opportunity I couldn’t turn down. Obviously played a lot of Davis Cup as well, which no one mentioned. I’m competing for Australia, as well. That didn’t really get mentioned in his article.

“It’s tough when people comment when they have no idea about the injury or what sort of tennis I’m playing. I haven’t lost this year. Yes, I picked up something, but it has nothing to do with my off-season.”