Thanasi Kokkinakis has ended an enthralling, drama-filled week at Roland Garros with the feeling he's on the verge of a major breakthrough - and Taylor Fritz, the American star he nearly knocked out of the French Open, couldn't agree more.
Adelaide's Kokkinakis, nursing a series of injury niggles after his exhausting campaign in Paris, was left still agonising over the epic five-set comeback triumph that got away against US No.1 Fritz in the third round.
But the consolation for Kokkinakis after just missing out on a third straight late-night distance win was that he had enjoyed a week when he could remind himself he can mix it with the best.
"Yeah, I'm getting closer and closer," said the 28-year-old, whose injuries down the years have prevented him fulfilling his once exceptional potential.
But there's still time.
"I'm hoping a breakthrough is not too far away, but I've gotta keep working, gotta keep giving myself opportunities against these big guys because I've proven here I've got the abilities to beat them," said the man who once downed Roger Federer in Miami.
Kokkinakis is No.100 in the world but it feels like he's a much better player than that - and 12th seed Fritz, who just survived the ferocious comeback, concurs.
"With his serve and his forehand, he's an extremely dangerous player and definitely should be ranked higher," said the American.
"I've always thought that he's had so many injury issues, but if he can play three five-setters all in a row on clay like he's done here and stay healthy after this, then it's a really good sign for him staying healthy for long periods of time in the future and getting the opportunity to play and get his ranking up."
Next stop for Kokkinakis is the English grass-court campaign, and he admits his real challenge is to transfer the striking, battling form he often shows in grand slams into lesser tour events.
"Rankings reward consistency as well. That's something that maybe hasn't been my strongest attribute, so trying to find that intensity and fighting spirit I find in slams, I need to do that for all tournaments to give myself more opportunities.
"For I know when my game's on and my level's there, I can match it with almost anyone - and I was right there against Taylor."
Meanwhile, Fritz was left praising the passionate Australian fans who made it such a great atmosphere on Court 14.
"You had some Australians in the crowd that were getting pretty crazy, which is pretty normal, I guess," said the American.
"Australians love to get behind the Aussies. I know that from when you play in an Australian Open, so it did feel a little like that out there - because they're always the loudest for sure."
But he reckoned it wasn't like 2023 when the French crowd really turned on him when he played local favourite Arthur Rinderknech. "The fans were overall like pretty respectful, not like when I played last year."
