Thanasi Kokkinakis, Aleskandar Vukic and Tristan Schoolkate thrill native followers with preventing first-round victories at Australian Open 2025.
Melbourne, Australia, 13 January 2025 | Sean A’Hearn
Drawing on the preventing Spartan spirit represented in photographs on his shorts, a gutsy Thanasi Kokkinakis has battled by means of one other damage to win his Australian Open first spherical conflict in opposition to Russia’s Roman Safiullin.
The Australian fan favorite got here into the match underneath an damage cloud after withdrawing from the Adelaide Worldwide with a shoulder grievance and the Brisbane Worldwide with a hip damage.
This time, Kokkinakis was troubled by a thigh challenge which left him barely in a position to run however he nonetheless managed to win 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6(5).
Down however NEVER out 🇦🇺 @TKokkinakis
The Aussie saves 18 break factors on his strategy to the second spherical in entrance of a bumper crowd on Kia Area.@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/mkR0Kqkv5c
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025
After shedding the primary set to world No.63 Safiullin, a former Australian Open boys’ singles champion, Kokkinakis led 5-2 within the second when he referred to as for the physio then left the courtroom for additional therapy.
Regardless of his apparent discomfort, the 28-year-old closed out the second set to degree the match, then banked the third to the delight of the Kia Area crowd.
Usually wincing in ache within the fourth set, the injury-prone world No.71 confirmed his grit, saving an unbelievable 18 break factors from 22 by means of the match.
Whereas the South Australian modified his shirt, he stored his blue shorts which featured photographs of Spartan troopers in a nod to his ancestry.
Kokkinakis dropped his serve to path 3-4 however then stared down Safiullin, breaking straight again.
The pair continued to go toe to toe, taking the set to a tiebreak, with the big-serving Australian in a position to seal the win after 4 hours and 5 minutes on courtroom.
A winner of the lads’s doubles title with Nick Kyrgios in 2023, Kokkinakis stated the gang lifted him to victory.
“You guys willed me by means of. I used to be struggling there, I used to be cooked,” he stated in his on-court interview.
“I tweaked one thing however I took some ache killers and battled by means of, as I needed to pull out of Adelaide and didn’t wish to pull out right here.
“I’m tremendous completely satisfied to get one other loopy win.”
Kokkinakis will face British fifteenth seed Jack Draper within the second spherical.
Schoolkate edges acquainted foe
In a rematch of final yr’s US Open first spherical, Tristan Schoolkate defeated Japanese participant, Taro Daniel, 6-7(8), 7-6(4) 6-1 6-4.
“You’ll be able to’t actually script that you simply’re gonna play that very same participant. We organised a apply on Saturday. I assumed the probabilities have been that I couldn’t play him once more however positive sufficient I did,” Schoolkate chuckled.
Splitting two tight units to start out the match, Schoolkate stated the second set tiebreak was essential to his victory.
“Very pleased with the way in which I turned that round. (I’m) glad that I received that second set so I didn’t have to return from two units to like down.”
Whereas he received his first Grand Slam match on the US Open final yr, Schoolkate described his first Australian Open win as a distinct feeling solely.
“Profitable my first fundamental draw match on the US Open final yr was an unbelievable feeling nevertheless it’s totally different right here. Fairly loopy to win in entrance of a crowd like that. It’s unbelievable.”
Schoolkate subsequent faces the hardest process in tennis – world No.1, Jannik Sinner.
> READ MORE: No place like residence as McCabe and Duckworth advance at AO 2025
Vukic battles by means of in 5
Aleksandar Vukic battled previous Bosnian, Damir Dzumhur in a topsy-turvy match, 6-7(3) 6-0 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Together with his first direct entry into the AO fundamental draw, the 28-year-old recorded his fourth Grand Slam win and was relieved after simply falling quick final yr.
“Very tough match. This one had plenty of momentum swings. A variety of ups and downs. Then to get by means of it in the long run after shedding within the fifth set final yr, it was feeling,” Vukic stated.
Like Schoolkate, Vukic credited the house crowd for serving to him get by means of, notably when the chips are down.
“Having the gang assist is huge, clearly. You undergo some darkish locations as nicely by means of these matches so to all the time hear them in these moments, you are feeling such as you’re reborn,” he stated.
“Each time I play a grand slam provides me extra expertise and now I’ve performed increasingly more 5 setters so that you type of know the sensation extra.
Vukic faces American 22nd seed, Sebastian Korda, within the second spherical.
> READ MORE: Jordan Thompson off to successful begin at AO 2025
Aussies shine on Day 2
It topped an unbelievable day of tennis for Australian gamers in first-round motion at Melbourne Park.
9 of the 12 locals in motion at Melbourne Park superior to the third spherical, together with Talia Gibson, Ajla Tomljanovic, Destanee Aiava, Jordan Thompson, James McCabe and James Duckworth.
Maya Joint fell to seeded American Jessica Pegula, whereas Nick Kyrgios’ return from damage stalled in opposition to Brit Jacob Fearnley.
Discover your strategy to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to hit the courtroom and have some enjoyable!
