Meet Kasidit Samrej: A Djokovic training partner following in Srichiphan's footsteps

Kasidit Samrej will never forget the past month and a half.

From a major breakthrough to spending a week training with Novak Djokovic, the 23-year-old has created memories for a lifetime. The first man from Thailand to compete in a major main draw since the 2012 Australian Open is not done yet, either.

On Tuesday, Samrej will take on former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Daniil Medvedev in the first round at Melbourne Park. He will hope time spent with Djokovic in Phuket, Thailand in late December will help him stun the tennis world.

“It was so cool, I practised with the GOAT,” Samrej told ATPTour.com. “I felt nervous to practise with him, pressure on me. I was shaking, not playing good on the first day. But I felt better when he spoke to me and gave me some advice. He’s a nice guy.”

Thai legend Paradorn Srichiphan, who reached a career-high World No. 9, called Samrej in December to let him know that Djokovic was looking for a hitting partner during a visit to their country before the Serbian began his season. The World No. 418 happily obliged.

“It was a good opportunity to practise with [Djokovic]. We got to know each other a bit, so that’s good,” Samrej said. “The first day I practised with him, I served so bad. He gave me some advice about [how I was] throwing the ball and catching the ball. He said, ‘The second advice you have to pay me!’.”

It was a valuable week at the perfect time for Samrej, who earlier in the month won the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wild Card Playoff to earn his place at the season’s first major. It was a groundbreaking moment for a man who has never competed at an ATP Tour event or a Grand Slam tournament.

“It’s a dream come true,” Samrej said. “The world stopped spinning at that time. ‘Is this real?’ That was my feeling.”

Samrej’s father, Vittaya Samrej, tied the Thai record for most Davis Cup ties played (37) and cracked the world’s Top 1,000 in both singles and doubles. So it was natural that his son took up the sport.

Kasidit began playing tennis aged six and loved it at first. But at eight years old, he lost some matches and decided to quit.

“I didn’t play for four years. When I was 12, I came back. I saw some players practise with my dad, and they were my age. I wanted to have a friend and started playing [again],” Kasidit said. “I started getting serious about tennis at 15.”

While away from the sport, Samrej played football and basketball. He does not watch basketball a lot anymore, but grew to love Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, awed by his three-point shooting.

Around 18, Samrej began to really get serious about his tennis and joined his country’s junior national team.

“I realised I could go bigger,” the 6'3" Samrej said. “So I started to believe.”

The last male player from Thailand who competed in a major main draw was Danai Udomchoke 13 years ago. Udomchoke won nine ATP Challenger Tour titles and ascended as high as World No. 77. Samrej is trying to make his own mark for his country.

“I think it’s exciting,” said Samrej, who has been reading famous mindset book Atomic Habits by James Clear. “I want to be the person that brings tennis back to Thailand. I want tennis to be famous again, and for everyone to play tennis again because it’s a good sport.”

It is a meaningful moment for Srichiphan, who was the first Asian man to break into the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings. The five-time ATP Tour titlist is thrilled for Thailand.

“We are very happy there is one Thai men's player back into the main draw after 13 years, of course. It's been a long time. He earned his spot from the [Asian] qualifying, winning a tournament in China to get his wild card. So he earned the spot,” Srichiphan said. “It will be a great experience for him, and especially to face a really good player, Medvedev, in the first round.

“From my side, I think it's a good draw in the part of having a chance, an opportunity to play Medvedev., If you're going to play a Grand Slam, play a big name, play a big player. He still has a long way to prove his tennis, to improve his ranking.”

Srichiphan is realistic about his countryman’s chances. It will be difficult for a player who has never advanced past an ATP Challenger Tour quarter-final to oust a major champion like Medvedev. But it will be an important moment nonetheless.

“We're not expecting the win from Kasidit with the level and with the experience… But I'm pretty sure he will give his 110 per cent and he will show his tennis,” Srichiphan said. “He's another Thai tennis hope here. He's still young, and again, he still has a long way to go on the road. So the hope is he just shows his great tennis and hopefully he can make Thai tennis proud.”

It is Samrej’s first time in Australia and he has been amazed by the venue, the facilities, the people and the attention he has been receiving. His overwhelming feeling has been excitement.

“I will play against a Top 10 player and I am [over] 400 in the World,” Samrej said. “I’m not sure if I will get another chance, but I will try to be here again someday.”