He had not tasted victory at Roland-Garros in eight years and required a wildcard just to enter the main draw in 2023, but Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis has defied a shocking run of injuries to reach the second round in Paris overnight.
It was the first time Kokkinakis had won at the French Open since he surged into the third round as a teenager back in 2015 – an extraordinary 2922 days ago – before ultimately falling to to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
Now ranked 108th in the world, Kokkinakis had to stave off a furious comeback from Evans to claim the remarkable straight sets victory.
The Aussie required a wildcard entry just to compete at this year’s French Open but overcame years of injury and bad luck to claim a breakthrough win on the clay in Paris
Kokkinakis was just a teenager the last time he won a match at the French Open, reaching the third round in 2015 before ultimately losing to Novak Djokovic – 2922 days ago
‘He’s quality player. It was always going to be scrappy. To get it done in straight sets is massive. I’m just very happy with that win,’ Kokkinakis said.
‘He’s just very consistent throughout the whole year and, especially over the last five or six years, he has been at the top of the game. He is a good competitor.’
Kokkinakis has experienced the dizzying highs of the ATP Tour, winning the 2022 Australian Open doubles with his great friend and fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios.
But the tennis gods have seldom shone on the luckless Aussie, with injuries punctuating his career and preventing him from realising his potential.
KOKK LOST HIS SHIRT
Thanasi Kokkinakis celebrates victory
While he may not have lost his shirt figuratively in his win against Evans, Kokkinakis did lose it quite literally.
The Aussie star had sent his playing shirts away to be washed and they went missing, forcing him to dig up an old shirt from January.
‘I couldn’t wear what I needed to wear. It was tough. They have been looking for them since this morning,’ he said.
‘I’m an idiot. I put all of my shirts in because usually they shrink a bit (after washing) and I prefer them that way. Dumb idea.’
And if Kokkinakis is to surge up the rankings in Paris, he is going to require more luck than ever before after being handed one of the most brutal draws imaginable.
more luck than ever before after being handed one of the most brutal draws imaginable.
Waiting in the second round will either be three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka or Spanish clay-court veteran Albert Ramos-Viñolas.
Beyond that likely lies 11th seed Karen Khachanov, seventh seed Andrey Rublev, Djokovic and world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz
‘Someone sent me my path to the final, obviously ambitious, but it’s one of the toughest draws I’ve ever seen,’ Kokkinakis said.
‘But I probably wasn’t expected to win today either so I’ll rest up, recover and see what I can do.’
After enduring so many injuries in the first half of his career, Kokkinakis is confident that he has finally got his body right.
And the Aussie is confident that if he can keep it that way, he can enjoy a stronger second half to his career – starting on the clay courts of Paris.
‘When it feels like half of your career has been kind of taken away, you hope you can have a bit at the back end,’ the now 27-year-old said.
‘As long as my body is able to … we’ll see. There was a point when we didn’t think I’d play that much longer and I was 22 years old. I’m 27 now and who knows? Winning is addictive and losing makes you want to quit tennis.
‘I know I can’t do this forever. Whatever I do choose, I try not to take it for granted … I know where I was many years ago when I was missing out and not having opportunities.
‘You never know but I find it hard to see myself playing like these guys you see playing past 35, 36. There’s so much travel, from Australia constantly. Your social life pretty much goes out the window.’
Storm Hunter faced a tough assignment against Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz but managed to come back from a set down to book her place in the second round of the French Open
Jason Kubler continued his strong run of recent form but had to dig deep to beat Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta in five sets
Fellow Aussie Jason Kubler also advanced to the second round after overcoming Argentina’s Lucky Loser Facundo Diaz Acosta in a five-set epic.
Storm Hunter ensured there will be an Australian in the second round in the women’s draw as well, coming back after losing the first set to claim victory over Spain’s Nuria Parrizas-Diaz.
Wildcard entry Kim Birrell was not as fortunate at her first Roland-Garros, losing in three sets to local Leolia Jeanjean.
Eighteenth seed Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin and Chris O’Connell will all feature on day two along with Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in an all-Aussie showdown.
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