KOKKINAKIS DIGS DEEP AND FIGHTS TO THE VERY END Dynamic De Minaur rolls past Cuevas
FOR four hours and 31 minutes, Thanasi Kokkinakis proved he still has what it takes to hang with the big dogs.
With Nick Kyrgios willing him on from the stands, Kokkinakis pushed world No.5 Stefanos Tsitsipas all the way in the longest match of this year’s Australian Open, before succumbing in a gripping fivesetter — but not before showing the world he’s ready to deliver on his remarkable potential after years of setbacks.
One of the most explosive players on the tour, Tsitsipas — a two-time grand slam semifinalist — was rattled early as Kokkinakis dominated the baseline rallies from the jump on Thursday.
The Greek star fell to his knees after the epic encounter — a mix of relief and ecstasy over a match in which he had to give everything.
“Thanasi is a great competitor and a great fighter. It was a very difficult facing him today,” Tsitsipas said.
“He’s a talent. He has huge potential — I’m pretty sure he knows it himself.
“I really enjoyed being out here … and showing the world some high-quality tennis.”
Kokkinakis has been here before, of course. He was ranked 175 in the world when he shocked then world No.1 Roger Federer at the Miami
Open, and he showed no signs of being intimidated by Tsitsipas as the Rod Laver Arena faithful got behind his inspiring fight.
At his best, Kokkinakis has all the weapons — serve, ground strokes and, of course, the mentality. There’s no way you could survive his injury hell without mental strength.
All that’s ever been missing has been the body.
After losing the first set, Tsitsipas turned up the intensity to rip through two sets and be on the brink of victory. But Kokkinakis wasn’t done yet, stunning Tsitsipas in the fourth-set tie-break to force a deciding set.
Once again, it was his body which appeared to let Kokkinakis down with the 24year-old wincing through the final hour of play as he fought to the very end.
THE Demon has a look in his eyes.
After a “devastating” abdominal injury ruled Alex de Minaur out of last year’s Australian Open, the 21-year-old’s buzz word this year has been “focus”.
It’s not hard to see where that focus lies.
Having felt primed for last year’s first Grand Slam, de Minaur looks determined to make up for a lost opportunity and push deeper than ever into this year’s draw.
The 2020 US Open quarterfinalist had his best result at Melbourne Park in 2019 when he made the third-round of the Australian Open.
On Saturday, he will have a chance to go one better and secure a fourth-round berth when he does battle with 16th seed Italian Fabio Fognini.
“I’m trying to make 2021 everything 2020 wasn’t,” de Minaur said. “I’m very happy where I am right now. I’m happy with the things I’m doing, how I’m feeling on court, and hopefully I can make up for 2020 in my eyes.”
The “focus” eyes from de Minaur were on full show during the third set of his match against Uruguay veteran Pablo Cuevas on Margaret Court Arena on Thursday night.
Having won the first two sets, de Minaur found himself
in a spot of bother when Cuevas was 5-3 up and on serve to win the set.
The Australian stared down his opponent, broke serve and won four straight games to take the set and the match 6-3 6-3 7-5.
“I missed a couple of balls that I hadn’t probably missed in the whole match, and then I’m down a break in the third,” de Minaur said. “It could have been prolonged to play a
fourth set. I’m very happy I managed to bounce back straight away and not let it affect me and play some of my best tennis to turn it around and finish off in three sets.”
The competition’s 21st seed, de Minaur has never played Fognini.
But along with his friend Nick Kygrios, the pair hold the hopes of a nation as the only Australian’s left standing in the men’s draw.
They’ve travelled up through the footy ranks together, and now Devils Georgia Clark and Brooke Barwick are looking forward to playing their first home NAB League match together.