Thanasi Kokkinakis toughs out a three-set win to achieve the quarterfinals in Adelaide, with Rinky Hijikata additionally by to the ultimate eight.
Adelaide, Australia, 8 January 2025 | Sean A’Hearn
Thanasi Kokkinakis has revived reminiscences of his breakthrough title run in Adelaide three years in the past, after progressing to the quarterfinals of his hometown match.
The 77th-ranked South Australian required greater than three hours to file a 7-5 4-6 7-6(4) victory over No.39 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, in a match that stored a sold-out crowd at The Drive enthralled from the primary to ultimate level.
“You guys are unbelievable,” the delighted 28-year-old instructed the appreciative viewers. “Each time I come out right here, I can depend on you guys to convey the vitality. I don’t love taking part in wherever else greater than this.”
Firing 23 aces all through the suspense-filled encounter, Kokkinakis most significantly held his nerve within the third-set tiebreak. After securing a 3-1 lead, the hometown favorite seized momentum in opposition to the Argentine, occurring to safe the match.
“Tomas is a hell of a participant,” he stated. “I knew it was going to be a canine combat, so I simply tried to remain calm and pulled out of a few tough conditions.”
The hard-fought victory units a quarterfinal showdown with No.2 seed Sebastian Korda, whom Kokkinakis is but to defeat within the three matches they’ve performed.
“I had match factors on him in Washington and he shanked a ball previous me on the road and he received the match and the match, in order that one I’ve sort of nonetheless received demons about that to be sincere,” he commented of their third-round match in Washington final yr.”
HOW GOOD WAS THAT???
Thanasi Kokkinakis comes by in a 3 set thriller 😳 #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/lb0vjz4cEP
— Adelaide Worldwide (@AdelaideTennis) January 8, 2025
Earlier, Rinky Hijikata continued his sizzling kind in Adelaide with an exhilarating 6-2 3-6 7-6(5) victory over seventh-seeded American, Brandon Nakashima,
The fortunate loser picked up the place he left off, dominating the primary set with the aggressive tennis and selection he showcased in his earlier match in opposition to David Goffin.
> READ MORE: Hijikata seizes second probability at Adelaide Worldwide
Nevertheless, Nakashima lifted his degree within the second set off the again of his wonderful first serve, hitting with 88 per cent accuracy and profitable 90 per cent of factors.
The third set was a scrap, with neither participant budging on serve. Hijikata narrowly edged out Nakashima within the tiebreak with some clutch factors when it mattered.
It marked the primary time Hijikata claimed victory over Nakashima, having misplaced the pair’s earlier two encounters final yr.
The problem now intensifies for the Sydneysider, who subsequent faces No.1 Tommy Paul seed within the quarterfinals.
Will probably be Hijikata’s first match in opposition to the twelfth ranked American, who defeated Manuel Guinard in three units.
It was a more durable day for different Australian males in second-round motion on the Adelaide Worldwide, with Chris O’Connell exiting to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, 7-6(1), 6-2 and Li Tu bowing out in straight units to Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.
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