Thanasi Kokkinakis toughs out a three-set win to reach the quarterfinals in Adelaide, with Rinky Hijikata also through to the final eight.
Adelaide, Australia, 8 January 2025 | Sean A’Hearn
Thanasi Kokkinakis has revived memories of his breakthrough title run in Adelaide three years ago, after progressing to the quarterfinals of his hometown tournament.
The 77th-ranked South Australian required more than three hours to record a 7-5 4-6 7-6(4) victory over No.39 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, in a match that kept a sold-out crowd at The Drive enthralled from the first to final point.
“You guys are unbelievable,” the delighted 28-year-old told the appreciative audience. “Every time I come out here, I can count on you guys to bring the energy. I don’t love playing anywhere else more than this.”
Firing 23 aces throughout the suspense-filled encounter, Kokkinakis most importantly held his nerve in the third-set tiebreak. After securing a 3-1 lead, the hometown favourite seized momentum against the Argentine, going on to secure the match.
“Tomas is a hell of a player,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a dog fight, so I just tried to stay calm and pulled out of a couple of tricky situations.”
The hard-fought victory sets a quarterfinal showdown with No.2 seed Sebastian Korda, whom Kokkinakis is yet to defeat in the three matches they’ve played.
“I had match points on him in Washington and he shanked a ball past me on the line and he won the match and the tournament, so that one I’ve kind of still got demons about that to be honest,” he commented of their third-round match in Washington last year.”
HOW GOOD WAS THAT???
Thanasi Kokkinakis comes through in a three set thriller 😳 #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/lb0vjz4cEP
— Adelaide International (@AdelaideTennis) January 8, 2025
Earlier, Rinky Hijikata continued his hot form in Adelaide with a thrilling 6-2 3-6 7-6(5) victory over seventh-seeded American, Brandon Nakashima,
The lucky loser picked up where he left off, dominating the first set with the aggressive tennis and variety he showcased in his previous match against David Goffin.
> READ MORE: Hijikata seizes second chance at Adelaide International
However, Nakashima lifted his level in the second set off the back of his excellent first serve, hitting with 88 per cent accuracy and winning 90 per cent of points.
The third set was a scrap, with neither player budging on serve. Hijikata narrowly edged out Nakashima in the tiebreak with some clutch points when it mattered.
It marked the first time Hijikata claimed victory over Nakashima, having lost the pair’s previous two encounters last year.
The challenge now intensifies for the Sydneysider, who next faces No.1 Tommy Paul seed in the quarterfinals.
It will be Hijikata’s first match against the 12th ranked American, who defeated Manuel Guinard in three sets.
It was a tougher day for other Australian men in second-round action at the Adelaide International, with Chris O’Connell exiting to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, 7-6(1), 6-2 and Li Tu bowing out in straight sets to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.
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