Thanasi Kokkinakis secures a comeback win over Giulio Zeppieri to advance to the Roland Garros third spherical.
Paris, France , 31 Could 2024 | Vivienne Christie
5-set battles are proving a Thanasi Kokkikankis trademark.
After launching his Roland Garros 2024 marketing campaign with a marathon win over countryman Alexei Popyrin, the 100th-ranked Australian triumphed over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri in one other epic.
Together with his 1-6 4-6 6-3 7-6 6-2 victory, the 28-year-old Kokkinakis strikes into the Roland Garros third spherical for the third time in his profession.
THREE-TIME RG THIRD-ROUNDER 💪🤩
After his opponent was serving for the match, Thanasi Kokkinakis fights again to win ANOTHER thrilling five-setter at @rolandgarros #GoAussies pic.twitter.com/5ircP2SpXS
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) Could 30, 2024
(I’m) on fumes in the mean time. It’s powerful,” admitted Kokkinakis, who after his four-hour, 24-minute win over Popyrin, superior in three hours and 45 minutes within the second spherical.
“I actually need to try to do it simpler however guys are good and I battle with my focus a variety of the time.
“I imply, discovering a win ugly is best than not profitable in any respect however (it) undoubtedly catches up with you in these Grand Slam matches.”
As typically happens in a Kokkinakis encounter, there have been a number of twists and turns within the close to four-hour contest, with the Australian undeniably flat within the early phases in opposition to the world No.148 Zeppieri.
After the primary set handed in 34 minutes, rain interrupted the second; the Italian appeared all composure when he prolonged his result in two units on resumption.
“He made it difficult for me. He was a clumsy participant,” Kokkinakis associated.
“I feel he’s rather a lot higher than his rating … I simply struggled to search out rhythm and struggled to match up in opposition to him firstly.”
However when Kokkinakis secured a break for a 3-1 third-set lead, his winner rely more and more edged in favour of his errors.
He pressured Zeppieri with break level alternatives and whereas he couldn’t fairly convert, maintained composure when the Italian served for the match at 5-4 within the fourth set.
Kokkinakis secured the break, after which the tiebreak, to pressure a deciding set.
With the Italian showing to fatigue, and handled for a leg criticism, the Australian drew on his expertise as he closed out the five-set victory when a Zeppieri forehand sailed lengthy.
“I believed I created a variety of break alternatives early within the fourth and I used to be beginning to get on prime of him and I didn’t take it,” stated the South Australian.
“He served for the match with new balls and I used to be capable of finding a method once more.”
Kokkinakis now prepares to satisfy No.12 seed Taylor Fritz within the third spherical.
Countryman Alex de Minaur additionally superior in a career-best efficiency on the clay-court main, with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Jaume Munair.
It marks the primary time that two Australian males have superior to the Roland Garros third spherical since 2015.
Aussies in motion – Roland Garros
RESULTS
Males’s singles, second spherical
[11] Alex de Minaur (AUS) d Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-5 6-1 6-4
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d [Q] Giulio Zeppieri (ITA) 1-6 1-4 6-3 7-6(5) 6-2
COMING UP
Males’s singles, third spherical
[11] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [12] Taylor Fritz (USA)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 males’s singles draw
Ladies’s doubles, first spherical
[2] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Ingrid Gamarra Martins (BRA)/Olivia Nicholls (GBR)
Daria Saville (AUS)/Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [16] Miyu Kato (JPN)/Nadiia Kichenok (UKR)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 ladies’s doubles draw
Males’s doubles, first spherical
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [Alt] Sumit Nagal (IND)/Sebastian Ofner (AUT)
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Tallon Griekspoor (NED)/Bart Stevens (NED)
John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Denys Molchanov (UKR) v Petros Tsitsipas (GRE)/Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Guido Andreozzi (ARG) v Nicolas Barrientos (COL)/Francisco Cabral (POR)
John Friends (AUS)/Roman Safiullin v Yuki Bhambri (IND)/Albano Olivetti (FRA)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)/Denis Shapovalov (CAN) v [14] Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 males’s doubles draw
Combined doubles, first spherical
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) v [WC] Tessah Andrianjafitrimo (FRA)/Ugo Humbert (FRA)
Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)/John Friends (AUS) v [5] Vera Zvonareva/Sander Gille (BEL)
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 blended doubles draw
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