There’s no place like dwelling for Thanasi Kokkinakis, who put one other notch in his Adelaide belt with a first-round win over world No.34 Maxime Cressy on the South Australian ATP match.
A winner and semi-finalist within the two back-to-back occasions right here final 12 months, the Adelaide native once more relished the chance to play in entrance of an appreciative viewers, registering a 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (9-7) victory over the towering American.
Kokkinakis fought again from a break down and a set level within the second set to safe a formidable win which he closed out with an ace.
“I had an incredible summer here last year starting off in Adelaide and with the (Australian Open) doubles (win) as a cherry on top,” he mentioned.
“But forever the Adelaide week will be my top moment for sure.
“I’m hoping to only strive my arse off each match.”
After an injury-ravaged six years, Kokkinakis used his hometown run as something of a springboard to rejuvenate his stuttering career.
While he didn’t quite hit the dizzy heights of another tournament win in 2022, he did become ensconced in the top 100.
And with some 340 points to defend across the two weeks of competition in Adelaide, he’ll need to be at his best or risk slipping well down the rankings ladder.
But Monday night was as good a start as he could hope for.
He overcame a knee problem in the first set, admitting afterward he needed to take some painkillers.
Yet he didn’t face a break point in the opener and rode the crowd as well as his monster forehand when needed to bounce back in the second.
Serve-volleyer Cressy had been one of the surprise packets of the 2022 Australian summer, going from outside the top 100 to reach the final of the ATP event in Melbourne as a qualifier before making the last 16 at the Australian Open.
Things get no simpler for Kokkinakis in Adelaide nonetheless, with a vastly improved discipline from final 12 months which means there’s each likelihood he’ll meet world No.15, Jannik Sinner, within the second spherical.
