If there’s a silver lining in Thanasi Kokkinakis’ semi-final defeat on the Adelaide International, it’s that he may get pleasure from higher success on the Australian Open because of this.
The hometown hero’s impressed title defence got here to an finish with a courageous three-set loss to world No. 26 Roberto Bautista Agut at a packed Memorial Drive on Friday night time.
The end result halted a charming run by the 26-year-old that included a win over world No. 6 Andrey Rublev, along with his huge serving, highly effective groundstrokes and aggressive strategy absorbing to look at.
As a lot as Kokkinakis adores his hometown event, its proximity to his dwelling Grand Slam that kicks off at Melbourne Park on Monday isn’t supreme.
After holding aloft his maiden ATP Tour trophy after Saturday night time’s ultimate final 12 months, Kokkinakis needed to hotfoot it to Melbourne on Sunday then misplaced his first-round match in opposition to German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann on Monday.
While pissed off to bow out in Adelaide after he bettered the veteran Spaniard in most statistics, Kokkinakis may have the posh of three days to organize for Tuesday’s first-round encounter with Italian world No. 57 Fabio Fognini.
“Hopefully I can use those days to an advantage,” Kokkinakis stated.
“It’s hard playing every day … I’ve had some battles against good players.
“I’ll use (those) days wisely, get used to the conditions in Melbourne and give it a red-hot crack there.
“Coming from (Adelaide) to the Aussie Open last time, (the courts) were a lot slower, so it took a bit to get used to conditions, but now I’ve got a couple days, so hopefully I can acclimatise and play some good ball.”
Kokkinakis, presently ranked No. 110 on this planet, displayed admirable dare and depth to defeat countryman Alexei Popyrin (ranked 113), Rublev (6) and Miomir Kecmanovic (28) on his technique to the semi-final in Adelaide.
His intent is to copy that kind to progress within the singles attract Melbourne, however he will even renew his partnership with good mate Nick Kyrgios, who he received a shock Australian Open doubles title with final 12 months.
“We’ll play, but if I told you I think we’re going to defend the title I’d be lying,” Kokkinakis stated.
“We only thought about winning it (last year), to be honest, pretty much in the quarters onwards when we were both out of singles.
“We’re going to try and do as well as we can in singles, doubles is a bonus, hopefully our bodies hold up.
“I wasn’t coming into this year thinking I’ve got to defend my doubles title.
“I wasn’t expecting to achieve much in doubles, I don’t feel like I need to do anything more in doubles, I want to build my singles career.”
AUSSIE STAR RUES MISSED CHANCES AS TITLE DEFENCE OVER
Local favorite Thanasi Kokkinakis’ dream of defending his Adelaide International crown is over, however the South Australian misplaced no followers after his preventing defeat to world No. 26 Roberto Bautista Agut on Friday night time.
In the primary assembly between the pair, Bautista Agut held his nerve within the face of a livid problem to win an absorbing semi-final 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3 at Memorial Drive.
Bautista Agut will face South Korean Soonwoo Kwon in Saturday night time’s ultimate, after he overpowered British world No. 40 Jack Draper within the different semi.
The hometown hero was courageous, however might be left to rue missed alternatives.
After taking place a break early within the third set, Kokkinakis created 9 break factors of his personal – 5 coming within the fifth recreation and one within the tense final recreation – however couldn’t win any of them to stage up the decider.
It was a top-quality conflict of contrasting types: the massive serving, energy hitting and aggression of Kokkinakis versus the endurance, precision and ultra-consistency of Bautista Agut.
Kokkinakis described the Spaniard as “a brick wall” within the lead as much as the match and it proved an correct abstract.
The end result didn’t go his means, however the hometown hero could be pleased with the extent of play he achieved this week, which augurs effectively for his Australian Open marketing campaign.
A day after he served 22 aces and slapped down 59 winners in a quarterfinal, Kokkinakis despatched down 20 aces to 7 and 51 winners.
The native favorite, presently ranked No. 110 on this planet, performed with admirable dare and depth to defeat countryman Alexei Popyrin (ranked 113), Andrey Rublev (6) and Kecmanovic (28) on his technique to the semi-final.
In all three wins, Kokkinakis began strongly to take the primary set solely to lose the second then end excessive of his opponents within the third.
The South Aussie’s energy recreation rattled opponents early, however the unflappable Spanish veteran absorbed the strain utilized from the opposite aspect of the online with obvious ease.
No recreation went to deuce, not to mention break level, earlier than the primary set went to a tie-breaker the place Bautista Agut hit 5 winners to land a telling early blow.
But Kokkinakis saved chipping away and created the primary break level of the match within the fourth recreation of the second set.
Bautista Agut saved that one, however his 26-year-old opponent saved coming and broke to like to go up 5-3 then served it to like to arrange an enthralling decider.
Kokkinakis had three break factors within the first recreation of the third set however couldn’t convert any of them.
With that disappointment nonetheless entrance of thoughts, Bautista Agut made his transfer, creating his first break factors of the match and taking the primary alternative to go 2-0 up then serve out.
If there’s a silver lining it’s that Kokkinakis has an additional day to organize for Australian Open first-round opponent world No. 57 Fabio Fognini.
Originally revealed as Tennis news: Thanasi Kokkinakis goes right down to Roberto Bautista-Agut in semi-final at Adelaide International 2
