Kokkinakis

2023 - 1 - 9

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Tennis365"

Thanasi Kokkinakis claims dramatic All-Aussie battle, Jack Draper ... (Tennis365)

Thanasi Kokkinakis continued his good form in his hometown of Adelaide as he downed compatriot Alexei Popyrin 6-0, 6-7(5), 7-5.

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) It’s going to be a tough match.” [Tennis News](https://www.tennis365.com/category/tennis-news/) [ATP Tour](https://www.tennis365.com/category/atp-tour/) But it’s tricky. “It’s going to be tough. It’s why you do all the work in all those tough moments. I’m happy I gave them something to cheer about there,” Kokkinakis said. “It’s what you play for to be honest. I practised with him two days ago and it’s not easy.

Adelaide International: Kokkinakis toughs out first-round win (Tennis Australia)

Thanasi Kokkinakis survives a match of dramatic momentum swings to defeat fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin in Adelaide's first round.

Men’s doubles, first round Men’s singles, first round Women’s doubles, first round The festival concludes on 14 January. It’s what you want going into a Grand Slam. “It’s what you want though. We share the same agent, so we know each other pretty well,” he commented. I toughed it out in the end,” Kokkinakis admitted, acknowledging a huge effort from his fellow Australian, who is also a close friend. As his first serve lapsed, the defending champion produced some exquisite winners that thrilled his hometown crowd. While Kokkinakis held match point in a tense 10th game, it took another two games to secure victory. A brief off-court break at first provided little respite for the local, who dropped serve in the opening game of the third set. “There’s a curse, I think.

The Adelaide Magic Continues For Kokkinakis: 'That's What They ... (ATP Tour)

Thanasi Kokkinakis battles past Alexei Popyrin in three sets to reach the second round of the Adelaide International 2. The Australian will next play top ...

[Alejandro Davidovich Fokina](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/alejandro-davidovich-fokina/dh50/overview) ousted reigning [Next Gen ATP Finals](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/next-gen-atp-finals/7696/overview) champion [Brandon Nakashima](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/brandon-nakashima/n0ae/overview) 6-2, 7-6(3). Another player who competed in Milan last year, Briton [Jack Draper](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jack-draper/d0co/overview), advanced past Italian [Lorenzo Sonego](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/lorenzo-sonego/su87/overview) 6-4, 6-2. McDonald earned a measure of revenge on Monday when he ousted the Briton 7-5, 7-5. It’s going to be a tough match.” [Mackenzie McDonald](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/mackenzie-mcdonald/mk66/overview) let slip a two-set advantage against [Daniel Evans](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/daniel-evans/e687/overview) three years ago at the [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview). “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to take my game and get after it. “It’s going to be tough. After falling behind by a break in the third set, it seemed Kokkinakis was on the brink of defeat. 6 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “It was almost going too smoothly, but then when I got the crowd into it and got them fired up, I know that’s what they came to see. It’s why you do all the work in all those tough moments. “It’s what you play for to be honest.

Kokkinakis in rollercoaster Adelaide win (Blue Mountains Gazette)

Thanasi Kokkinakis has kept his hopes of defending his maiden singles title in Adelaide alive after outlasting fellow...

"I started to get a bit flat and kind of feeling sorry for myself after the second set. and toughed it out in the end. It was almost going too smooth," Kokkinakis said on court after the match.

Kokkinakis survives 'curse' against Popyrin (Wide World of Sports)

Thanasi Kokkinakis opened his match against Alexei Popyrin in perfect fashion until the train came off the...

"I started to get a bit flat. However, he fluffed a regulation overhead smash that would've put him up a break and Popyrin seized the momentum. I knew there could be a tricky stage," he said. "It's a curse. "I was being a bit of a softie for the second part of that match, but I got it together and I toughed it out in the end. I was kind of feeling sorry for myself a little bit, so I had to grow a pair and get back to it." When you win a set 6-0 you feel like something's bound to go bad. Kokkinakis looked as if he was en-route to a comfortable victory in the second set when he had two break points with the scores tied at 3-3. [9Now](https://www.9now.com.au/united-cup-tennis?ocid=nine.com.au-9now-a35102-unitedcuptennis&_branch_match_id=1021535314407755785&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXLy4pSk3M1bPMyy%2FXS87P1Uss1a9KDHL0T%2FcyDS9LAgDp1wYKJgAAAA%3D%3D) and [Stan Sport](https://9.nine.com.au/kP5LRf) [Thanasi Kokkinakis](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/thanasi-kokkinakis) has overcome what he deemed "a curse" after a perfect first set almost resulted in a shock loss to countryman [Alexei Popyrin](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/alexei-popyrin). He looked set to lose the match before fighting back from a break down to win it 6-0, 6-7, 7-5 in a terrific contest. [Adelaide International](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/adelaide-international) champion, came out of the gates on fire, winning the first set 6-0 in just over 20 minutes before he was pegged back by the 23-year-old.

Kokkinakis beats Popyrin to begin Adelaide International title defence (Reuters)

Local Thanasi Kokkinakis opened his title defence at the Adelaide International 2 with a battling 6-0 6-7(5) 7-5 victory over Alexei Popyrin in an ...

The fans were unreal and I toughed it out in the end." "I returned really well. I was being a bit of a softie for the end part of that match, but I got it together.

Kokkinakis topples Popyrin at Adelaide International (Glam Adelaide)

Hometown hero Thanasi Kokkinakis has defeated Alexei Popyrin in a nail-biting clash that marked the start of the second week of Adelaide International.

The win comes a year after Kokkinakis made history, securing his maiden ATP Tour trophy in 2022. The pressure ramped up, with Popyrin bouncing back for the second set, and Adelaide’s hometown hero seemingly on the brink of defeat. Kokkinakis took the lead early on in the match, securing a perfect set in just half an hour.