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An anguished Thanasi Kokkinakis has fallen agonisingly short of reaching the third round of the Australian Open for the first time.
The injury-cursed Kokkinakis served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, only to implode with the finish line in sight before losing 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to 15th-seeded Brit Jack Draper.
Thanasi Kokkinakis receives treatment during his second round match.Credit: AP
The 28-year-old repeatedly sought treatment for a right pectoral or shoulder issue from midway through the third set and grimaced regularly from that point.
Even so, Kokkinakis still put himself in a winning position before Draper dug deep to win a second straight five-setter.
Draper goes on to face another Australian, Aleks Vukic, who outlasted American 22nd seed Sebastian Korda 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a career-best result.
Jack Draper shakes hands with Kokkinakis.Credit: AP
In his courtside post-match interview Draper said it was a “really tough match”.
“Thanasi is an unbelievable player [and] someone who I have great respect for,” Draper said.
“Every time I play him, he brings his best tennis, especially here in Australia – he’s so dangerous.
“I’m really proud of the way I competed today. I eventually came through and I’m very happy about that.”
Aleks Vukic thinks his five-set victory over Seb Korda on a rollicking Kia Arena is right up there in terms of the best win of his career.
He’s made a grand slam third round for the first time.
Aleksandar Vukic celebrates his five-set victory in the second round.Credit: Getty Images
“I think so,” the world No.68 said after his 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over the American late on day four at Melbourne Park.
“I think in terms of the situation, in terms of the atmosphere, in terms of everything.
“I think being down two sets to one against a great player in Korda, and fighting back when things weren’t looking too good for me then and making my first third round, yeah, it’s got to be the best or one of the best, for sure.
“In any case breaking through the second round hoodoo was significant.”
Aleksandar Vukic hits a high backhand in his victory over Sebastian Korda.Credit: Chris Hopkins
It took around six hours from first point until last point for Aleks Vukic to defeat Seb Korda … thanks to Melbourne rain delays.
“I kind of just got some food in just in case it went five [sets]. I just had some chicken and rice. I stayed with my coach and fitness coach. We stayed in a room and chilled,” he said.
“We were playing some music, really just trying to relax. We didn’t know what was going to happen, kind of like anyone. I was kind of switched off. Came back, and we were off again basically.”
He will now play Jack Draper in the third round after the Brit beat Thanasi Kokkinakis in five sets.
An anguished Thanasi Kokkinakis has fallen agonisingly short of reaching the third round of the Australian Open for the first time.
The injury-cursed Kokkinakis served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, only to implode with the finish line in sight before losing 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to 15th-seeded Brit Jack Draper.
Thanasi Kokkinakis receives treatment during his second round match.Credit: AP
The 28-year-old repeatedly sought treatment for a right pectoral or shoulder issue from midway through the third set and grimaced regularly from that point.
Even so, Kokkinakis still put himself in a winning position before Draper dug deep to win a second straight five-setter.
Draper goes on to face another Australian, Aleks Vukic, who outlasted American 22nd seed Sebastian Korda 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a career-best result.
Jack Draper shakes hands with Kokkinakis.Credit: AP
In his courtside post-match interview Draper said it was a “really tough match”.
“Thanasi is an unbelievable player [and] someone who I have great respect for,” Draper said.
“Every time I play him, he brings his best tennis, especially here in Australia – he’s so dangerous.
“I’m really proud of the way I competed today. I eventually came through and I’m very happy about that.”
The chair umpire in this clash, Marijana Veljovic, is doing her best to control crowd interruptions as Brit Jack Draper takes a 4-3 lead in the fifth set.
More fans in John Cain Arena are supporting homegrown hero Kokkinakis, but Draper still has his fair share of vocal followers.
The umpire is trying to keep them all quiet at crucial times. She is even giving them a threatening finger wave.
“Ladies and gentlemen, your cheering is excellent, but please do not destroy it by doing it between the serves,” she said. She has a point.
Meanwhile, Draper has stirred up the Aussie fans by holding his hand to his ear and calling them to cheer as he walks to his chair. Instead, they let him have it with boos.
This is a bit like the atmosphere at a footy match.
All of a sudden Kokkinakis has a custard arm.
He is barely getting his first serve over the 170km/h mark. In that game he patted down two slice serves to the forehand court that did not even break 150km/h.
There is no doubt it is down to his crook shoulder. But he is still managing to find a way, squaring this fifth and deciding set 3-3.
Draper to serve.
It almost feels like the calm before the storm, even though we are right at the pointy end of this five-set marathon.
Brit Jack Draper held serve in what was a lacklustre game to take a 3-2 lead in this deciding set.
Thanasi Kokkinakis needs to hold here, and then force a break. It’s hard to know how much pain he is in with the shoulder, but he has just patted in a 147km/h first serve. That’s something you might see on the suburban courts, but not often on the big stage.
The match has now been going four hours and 16 minutes.
The trainer is out for Kokkinakis again at the change of ends.
The Australian had an animated conversation with the chair umpire after the fourth set about his treatment, and he continues to stretch his arm and grimace in pain. But he will play on.
How are the nerves, Kokkinakis fans?
The match is locked at two sets all and 1-1 in the fifth set.
Brit Jack Draper is serving to take a 2-1 lead against our Aussie hope.
Young Aussie Talia Gibson has been knocked out of the Open. The 20-year-old lost her second-round battle against Spanish No.11 seed Paula Badosa in 48 minutes 6-1, 6-0.
There will be lots of lessons to be learned from this one, and at least she made it into the second round and should pick up a lazy $200k for her efforts.
On Rod Laver Arena: German Alexander Zverev cruised through his match against Spaniard Pedro Martinez, winning 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.
On 1573 Arena: Japan’s Kei Nishikori is starting to lag behind Tommy Paul. The American leads 6-7, 6-0, 4-2.
Kokkinakis has never made the third round at the Australian Open, and he will have to win a fifth set to do it tonight.
In the blink of an eye, Kokkinakis goes from serving for the match to losing the fourth set 7-5 to Brit Jack Draper, who must barely believe his luck.
The Aussie’s game unravelled at the worst time with elementary errors proving incredibly costly.
Kokkinakis is also receiving treatment on his right shoulder again. Let’s hope it holds together.
So far this match has spanned across three hours and 50 minutes. Chances are it could hit the five-hour mark.
Now the pressure is back on Kokkinakis.
First he threw in a stinker of a game out of nowhere to hand back the break to love as he tried to serve for a third-round spot.
Then Brit Jack Draper held serve to lead the fourth set 6-5. Kokkinakis to serve.
Both Kokkinakis and Draper have everything to play for in these next 10-15 minutes
