Home-town favourite Thannasi Kokkinakis has set up a tasty clash against Sebastian Korda at the Adelaide International, with Australian hopes experiencing a mixed day.
Kokkinakis, the champion three years ago, moved into the quarter-finals with a thrilling 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4) win over Tomas Martin Etcheverry on his home court at Memorial Drive on Wednesday night.
World number 77 showed incredible skill with 23 aces, and narrowly won a super-exciting tiebreak in three long hours, ultimately sending the eighth seeded Argentinian player home in front of a wild and rowdy crowd.
“I’ve got no love for playing anywhere rather than here – you blokes are just bloody fantastic,” Kokkinakis said post-match.
Gottedcha feelin’ it was gonna be a ripper of a contest. Tomas is a crack player and I reckoned I got a bit lucky to edge out the first set.
Geez, I reckon I thought I was really in it from second and third set onwards, but that’s tennis fair dinkum.
I thought I’d’ve come in first and won second, but that’s just how it played out and I knew it was going to be a real scrappy battle, so I just tried to stay chilled and get out of a few sticky spots.
Geez, you blokes were absolute legends again. I’m not sure if I could’ve made it without your help.
Kokkinakis will next take on American second seed Korda, who chucked aside Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 6-3 earlier on Wednesday.
Rinky Hijikata also advanced, winning a hard-fought three-set match over Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), but Chris O’Connell and Li Tu were eliminated.
O’Connell copped a 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 face-plant against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, while Tu went down 6-3 6-3 to French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi.
Kecmanovic will meet Bonzi in the quarter-finals, while world number 79 Hijikata faces a tough gig against the top-seeded American Tommy Paul.
Paul, ranked 12th in the world, knocked out France’s Manuel Guinard 6-4 3-6 6-3 on Wednesday to secure his spot in the quarter-finals.
Australia’s fifth seed, Felix Auger-Aliassime, has earned a win against Arthur Cazaux from France, coming from a set down to win 1-6, 6-4, 7-5, and will now play against Marcos Giron from America.
On Wednesday, Giron knocked out Denis Shapovalov 7:5, 6:2, to make it to the quarter finals.
