Kokkinakis: 'I was pretty much useless'

With brutal honesty, Thanasi Kokkinakis has admitted that perhaps he wasn't the best choice to take on the key opening singles match in Australia's crushing Davis Cup final defeat.

"Unfortunately, I was pretty much useless in this finals," lamented the Adelaide star after his 6-2 6-4 hammering by Denis Shapovalov ignited Canada's 2-0 march to their first-ever world men's team championship title.

Kokkinakis, who'd also lost in straight sets to Croatia's Borna Coric in Australia's semi-final win, admitted that he'd been nervous, wasn't match sharp and was low on confidence going into Sunday's (Monday AEDT) showdown.

It begged the question as to whether captain Lleyton Hewitt should have instead selected Jordan Thompson, who'd been unbeaten over both quarter-final and semi-final ties earlier in the week, for the opening singles spot.

Even Kokkinakis admitted that might have been a better option, rather than just selecting Thompson for a potentially decisive doubles contest which eventually wasn't even needed after Felix Auger-Aliassime wrapped up the win with his singles win over Alex de Minaur.

"Do I think I'm singles match-hardened? No. Maybe Thommo was the better option - but the guys believed in me maybe more than I believed in myself at times today," conceded a gloomy Kokkinakis.

"We've got a great team, a well-rounded team, but maybe there was a question of whether Thommo could back up and potentially play both (singles and doubles).

"Who knows? I could have played the doubles, but after what the guys showed in the last match (against Croatia), I have a lot of confidence in them and the way they played.

"Yeah, unfortunately I was pretty much useless in this finals, but hopefully I can train hard and be available and get selected next year."

The 26-year-old, who started the year with a bang as he won his first ATP title in his home town event in Adelaide, admitted to being hit by nerves before the match.

"Yeah, I was nervous. I was nervous in my last one, as well. I'm just a bit off the pace at the moment. I haven't played enough tennis," said Kokkinakis, who hadn't played a tour singles match for eight weeks before Malaga.

"Haven't found my confidence yet. I have had a fair bit of time off, and I'm just a long way behind at the moment as far as match-play and being match-hardened goes ... yeah, not good enough today.

"I hit the ball well in practice, but it's just different when you go out there and play a match with competitiveness.

"I haven't been able to play like I know I can. I guess I have done it before where I have played well on not many matches, but unfortunately I'm just, I don't know, pretty flat, to be honest."