Thanasi Kokkinakis faces Jack Draper in a battle of the wounded at the Australian Open, hoping to spark a resurgence for Australian players after a string of early exits. The match takes place amidst weather disruptions and a battle for momentum on the court.
Thanasi Kokkinakis is hoping to turn the tide for Australian players on day four at Melbourne Park after several compatriots fell in the Australian Open . Live coverage. Afternoon showers have disrupted day four's schedule, causing lengthy suspensions for matches on outside courts. Men's sixth seed Casper Ruud has dropped the opening set of his second-round match to Czech player Jakub Mensik.
Ruud was under pressure from the start, needing to save four break points to hold serve in the third game. Could there be a major upset tonight at Melbourne Park? Jodie Burrage managed to break serve in the set, but Gauff quickly responded. Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jack Draper are locked in a tight contest at John Cain Arena, with the score standing at 2-2 in the opening set. The crowd, a vibrant mix of Greek and Australian flags, is roaring behind Kokkinakis, prompting the chair umpire to repeatedly quieten the enthusiastic spectators. While Kokkinakis enjoys a strong home crowd advantage, Draper also receives a respectable amount of applause. Both players have battled injuries recently but are moving well so far. Kokkinakis grimaced and shook out his shoulder at one point, a reminder of the shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from the Adelaide International earlier this year.Meanwhile, on Rod Laver Arena, Coco Gauff and Jodie Burrage are set to continue their second-round clash. Kokkinakis, who overcame Roman Safiullin in four sets on Monday, had to call a medical timeout in the second set with an adductor (thigh) complaint. This followed previous hip issues in Brisbane and a shoulder injury that caused him to withdraw from the Adelaide International. After his four-hour battle against Safiullin, the Australian admitted to relying heavily on pain medication and struggling through the third and fourth sets. Draper, on the other hand, defeated Mariano Navone in a grueling five-set first-round match but appeared visibly exhausted at times, having also entered the tournament after a hip injury. The 23-year-old Draper is the 15th seed, while the 28-year-old Kokkinakis is unseeded but known for his exceptional performance on John Cain Arena, especially with the passionate home crowd behind him.Australian wildcard Ajla Tomljanović saw her Australian Open journey come to an end against 20-year-old Diana Shnaider, who clinched a straight-sets victory of 6-4, 7-5. There was a significant difference in ranking between the two players, with Shnaider at 13th in the world and Tomljanović at 114th. Despite reaching the quarter-finals at both the US Open and Wimbledon, Tomljanović has never progressed past the second round in her 11 attempts at the Australian Open. The weather continues to disrupt play, forcing suspensions for several matches, including those of James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic.
Australian Open Thanasi Kokkinakis Jack Draper Tennis Injuries Weather Delays
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