Kokki plays a cracker

Thompson sends Murray crashing in straight sets

WIMBLEDON cannot come quick enough for Australian duo Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis after the young guns rocked the tennis world with big wins at Queen’s.

In only his sixth tour-level match in 22 injury-ravaged months, Kokkinakis scored a career-best 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (10-8) victory over sixth-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic before Thompson sent world No.1 and defending champion Andy Murray crashing out in 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 first-round boilover.

Murray and Raonic con- tested the showpiece final at the All England Club — but they were no match for Australia’s wildcards.

Bidding to become the first six-time champion at Queen’s, Murray had been undefeated in 21 top-level tour matches against Australians. But, ranked 89 places below the Scot, Sydneysider Thompson — a Davis Cup favourite of Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt — was jubilant after converting his lucky loser entry to the main draw in spectacular fashion.

“Definitely the biggest win of my career,” said the 23-yearold, who lost in the final round of qualifying before gaining a reprieve with the withdrawal of Britain’s Aljaz Bedene due to a wrist injury.

“I took each point at a time. I definitely didn’t expect to be winning here in straight sets. I just wanted to enjoy myself.”

Thompson played the match of his life — but was given a helping hand by the erratic top seed.

He closed out the match with an ace down the middle to become the first player since Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2015 to hold serve for an entire match against Murray.

Kokkinakis’s victory — his first over a top-10 opponent — was no less sweeter as he recovered from 6-3 down in the second-set tiebreaker to win with a backhand winner into the corner.

“It’s a big frustration,” said Raonic, who failed to convert any of his eight break-point opportunities.

“Obviously it would have been a lot easier scheduling everything if I was to be here and have many more matches ahead of me.”

For the 21-year-old Kokkinakis, who revealed he had considered giving the game away at times, the win left him emotional post-match.

“It’s everything. It’s huge for me,” he said. “I’ve been out for so long.”

Kokkinakis returned to action in May and played three events before Queen’s, with his ranking as low as No.993 only last week.