Status: ATP #34.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 154
DOB: October 16, 1983 In: Augsburg, Germany
First Tennis Memory: “I think I just played – my family moved with me to South America, Caracas, Venezuela. I played every time normal with coach. Then my first tournament I was totally nervous and I lost 0 and 0 [smiles]. It wasn’t a great start and I said I don’t want to play any more tournaments, just practice. Right now, it’s a funny memory.”
Tennis Inspirations: “Nobody in particular. I think it was just the time tennis was going very well in Germany. My parents like to play a little bit. And I was very young. I got in it with my parents.”
Nicknames: “The most common in Germany is Kohli. Now I have a new one I like a little bit better, it’s Peppo.”
Hobbies/Leisure Activites: “Well, I really like to holiday, relax. In Germany I like to drive cars in the highway, we have no speed limit. Sometimes rent fast cars to enjoy a little bit the speed.”
Favorite Movies: “Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.”
Last Book Read: “I think it was a school book. I’m not reading a lot of books. I read magazine, the internet, but not book.”
Musical Tastes: “Michael Jackson has a lot of good music. I like to listen to everything.”
Current Car: “BMW (black).”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “I have two – I always eat hazelnuts and lemon.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “I think when I beat Roddick in Melbourne in five sets. It was the first time in five sets I beat somebody. And also because night match. Everything. Yeah, it was a big thing for me.”
Most Painful Moment: “Maybe I have two. No, I have just one. Maybe when I lost to Fabrice Santoro in five sets in Melbourne (2009). Was a tough one with a lot of feeling but yeah he was able to take it.”
Favorite Tournaments: “I really like New York, it’s fantastic. I think Montreal was a great tournament. And Germany – I like very much Halle, Hamburg. They’re fantastic tournaments.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “I have a lot of fun with Stefan Koubek, guys from Austria. And Jarkko Nieminen. We have a lot of fun. Mikhail Youzhny. Overall they are from every country. Maybe one or two we make fun of [smiles].”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Myself [smiles].”
Toughest Competitors Encountered: “I think Fernando Verdasco is a tough one. He’s tough to play. Of course, the top five, as always everybody is tough to play. Tomas Berdych is a pretty good player, I lost a few times against him. And Robin Soderling.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “In the Grand Slam, I watch a lot of tennis over the days – six-seven hours when I’m at the hotel. And then if I’m not playing, I really don’t watch any tennis.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “For me, a funny moment – if I play doubles and hit somebody in the feet or the butt. It’s a big fun for me. (Hit partner?) No, not my partner. Opponent [smiles].”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Yeah, like I said, the first one when I lost 0 and 0.”
Best You Ever Felt On Court: “I think it’s not when you play your best tennis, it’s when you really fight. The best memories I have – maybe when I win in five sets or 7-6 in the third. This is something I think really special because you have so much emotion at the end. Lot of adrenaline in the body. If you’ve done it, then it’s everything is releasing. I think that’s a great feeling.”
First Famous Tennis Player You Ever Met: “Michael Stich. I was very young (age 15). I was doing a lot of tournaments in Germany. And he invited me to the Team Cup. He was Davis Cup coach at this time. He invited me because Tommy Haas was injured.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “I just hope for they have to be honest. Funny. And I think that’s the most important.”
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Kohli lost his first match by double bagel!
