Anybody need a Thanasi Kokkinakis match report after that thriller?
This one is from our tennis reporter extraordinaire Marc McGowan:
Kokkinakis’ tough relationship with five-setters on the Australian Open is that significantly better after snatching a four-hour epic in opposition to Austrian ball-blaster Sebastian Ofner on Tuesday evening.
The cliffhanger 7-6 (7-1), 2-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory over Thirty seventh-ranked Ofner was his first throughout 5 units at Melbourne Park since he outlasted former world No.10 Ernests Gulbis 9 years in the past.
Thanasi Kokkinakis is thru to the second spherical after a hard-fought match in opposition to Sebastian Ofner.Credit score: Eddie Jim.
In between, Kokkinakis suffered three heartbreaking defeats whereas going the gap at his dwelling grand slam – to countryman Sam Groth, Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas and final 12 months’s gruelling affair with Andy Murray.
The Ofner match lasted 4 hours and 18 minutes earlier than the Austrian dumped a forehand return into the online, however had nothing on Kokkinakis’ near-six-hour epic in opposition to Murray within the second spherical final 12 months, which infamously ended at 4.05am.
“I want I may do it simpler, however I can’t. I’ve the psychological focus of a three-year-old [but] nevertheless I can get it accomplished,” Kokkinakis mentioned.
“You guys [the fans] are wonderful – with out you [there was] no likelihood I’m successful. I used to be battling some critical demons, that’s for certain … typically I wrestle for motivation throughout the 12 months, however January and Australian Open is certainly not a type of occasions.