Thanasi Kokkinakis keeps his cool to win five-set thriller at Australian Open

If he was going out, it was clear Thanasi Kokkinakis was going out big. But the Melbourne Park favourite delivered when it mattered, securing a dramatic first round, five-set win over a valiant Sebastian Ofner, 7-6, 2-6, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6.

His victory means six Australian men progressed through to the second round at this year’s tournament – the same as last year despite a larger contingent in 2024.

Kokkinakis’ marathon victory was perhaps the victory enjoyed most by the Melbourne Park throng. The see-sawing contest culminated in a riveting tiebreak to decide the match, played out in front of a rowdy John Cain Arena.

Serving at 8-7 in the first-to-10 decider, Kokkinakis went for a full-blooded second serve that was just barely called a let. Rather than revert to a conservative approach, he went big again, with a 199km/h second serve – a speed higher even than his average first serve for the match – setting up two match points, and the victory.

“I wish I could do it easier but I can’t,” he said. “I’ve got the mental focus of a three-year-old so … however I can get it done.”

The four-hour, 18-minute struggle started in the heat of a sunny Melbourne afternoon, and ended under dark skies.

Kokkinakis was looking for his fifth appearance in the second round at his home grand slam, but the draw gave him no favours with the clash against the Austrian ranked 37 in the world.

The Australian had struggled with form coming into the tournament, losing in the first round in Adelaide and Brisbane, but he looked solid early in a first set that built in intensity.

With the mercury edging into the 30s, Kokkinakis had called for a refill of ice to his esky before the set was out. And he stayed cool when it mattered, despite a sometimes brilliant opponent.

Ofner’s strong serve was matched by his aggressive forehand. But after holding to love in successive games at the end of the first set, the Austrian lost his first two serves in the tiebreak, and Kokkinakis capitalised, settling the set with an ace.

Yet Oftner is accustomed to adversity. The the 27-year-old made the third round of Wimbledon in 2017, before injury stalled his career. In a breakout 2023, he reached the fourth round of the French Open, and came to Melbourne Park in 2024 only narrowly outside the seeds.

Serving above 210km/h, he steamrolled the Australian in the second. Neither could break in the third and in the ensuing tiebreak, Kokkinakis was quickly down 1-5 to hand his opponent the initiative.

But the crowd rallied, and their hero responded. Kokkinakis finally broke his opponent early in the fourth, and rocketed through the frame spurred on by the packed arena. The place dazzled with almost as many Greek flags as Australian waving for the dual-citizen.

Neither player would go away as the match stretched past four hours. The fifth set went back on serve, paving the way for the electric conclusion.

Afterwards, the Australian said on court he was facing some “serious demons” but, buoyed by the support, battled through.

“It’s just trying to find a way on this court,” he said. “Tennis is a mental … uh I won’t swear … it’s tough out here.” (He swore shortly after, anyway.)

Kokkinakis will face 13th-seed Grigor Dimitrov in the second round, who beat Márton Fucsovics in the first round, and won in Brisbane two weeks ago.

Fifteen Australian men entered draw, the highest count for more than 25 years and eight Australians finished inside the ATP top 100 at the end of last year. In 2023, six men also progressed, but from just ten entrants.

Australia’s top four ranked players – Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson – progressed, alongside 68-ranked Chis O’Connell and Kokkinakis.

The second round gets underway on Wednesday. De Minaur plays Italian Matteo Arnaldi during the day on Rod Laver Arena, and Popyrin faces world number one Novak Djokovic in the evening.