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Thanasi Kokkinakis has produced a second stirring upset in as many days to maintain hopes of retaining his residence Adelaide Worldwide 2 title alive.
The 26-year-old backed up a three-set win over world No.6 Andrey Rublev with a 6-Three 6-7 (7-4) 6-1 victory over 28th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia on Thursday night time.
Kokkinakis arrange a semi-final in opposition to one other prime 30 participant, Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, on the match the place he secured a maiden ATP title 12 months in the past.
He hit 59 winners, together with 22 aces, served strongly in key moments and picked up an important break early within the third set after a flat second-set tiebreak.
“I used to be a bit of flat popping out, however you guys (the gang) gave me legs,” Kokkinakis stated on courtroom.
“I acquired my recreation collectively in that third set and began to play a bit of freer and went after my photographs.
“I did not sleep a lot after (Wednesday night time’s win over Rublev) in any respect. I reckon I acquired to sleep at 5am and possibly acquired a few hours.
“Nothing ridiculous. I used to be tucked away doing my compression boot. I simply could not sleep for no matter cause.”
Kokkinakis, ranked 110, has drawn a tough first-round opponent at subsequent week’s Australian Open in Italian veteran Fabio Fognini.
Bautista Agut earlier breezed previous fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-Three 6-2 in certainly one of a number of daytime quarter-finals.
Younger British star Jack Draper will meet fortunate loser Soonwoo Kwon within the different semi-final after each had straight-sets wins.
Ranked world No.40, Draper upset Karen Khachanov 6-Four 7-6 (7-3) to precise revenge after he fell to the Russian final week within the first of two Adelaide tournaments.
The pair additionally engaged in a third-round battle on the US Open final 12 months earlier than Draper needed to retire within the third set on account of damage.
The 21-year-old Draper confirmed some nerves whereas serving for the match, permitting the world No.20 again into Thursday’s contest.
However he regained his composure to energy by the tiebreak.
“Towards guys like Karen, you may’t give them an inch or they run away with it,” Draper stated of the 2022 US Open semi-finalist.
“Final recreation I acquired a bit nervous however that is all a part of the sport, I am nonetheless younger, I am nonetheless studying.
“It was a superb match. I did effectively to impose my recreation on him.”
Kwon, in the meantime, beat Swedish qualifier Mikael Ymer 6-1 6-2 in precisely an hour.
-AAP
