Draper defies Kokkinakis and partisan Australian Open crowd to win thriller
- British No 1 wins epic match 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3
- Draper triumphs after ‘four hours-plus psychodrama’
For the second time in as many matches, Jack Draper found himself on the brink of a painful, early defeat at the Australian Open as his difficult preparation during the off-season was reflected in his form. Draper had been dragged around the court for three and a half hours, outplayed by an opponent determined to eviscerate every last ball. Down two sets to one, Draper was four points away from defeat as Thanasi Kokkinakis served for a place in the third round of the Australian Open.
Somehow, yet again, Draper found a way through with another demonstration of his combativeness and heart. At the end of a four-hour, 35-minute psychodrama, the longest match of his career, Draper recovered to win his second consecutive five-set match with an unforgettable 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Kokkinakis just before midnight in Melbourne.
Continue reading...
Read more at The Guardian
Topics
-
Draper wins thriller to join Fearnley in third round
Jack Draper digs deep into his reserves to reach the Australian Open third round, where he is joined by fellow Briton Jacob Fearnley.BBC News - 2h -
Australian Open 2025: Draper beats Kokkinakis in thriller, Fearnley and Gauff through – as it happened
Jack Draper came back from two sets to one and a break down to beat Thanasi Kokkinakis, while Jacob Fearnley and Coco Gauff also moved on. Aryna Sabalenka breaks Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to 30 at ...The Guardian - 2h -
Coco Gauff breaks down Marvel-inspired outfit after Australian Open win
The 20-year-old said she is a Marvel fanatic and wanted to bring a touch of superhero to the 2025 Grand Slam.ESPN - 1d -
Coco Gauff starts her Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Sofia Kenin
Third-seeded Coco Gauff has opened her Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-3 win over 2020 champion Sofia KeninABC News - 2d -
'We are so back': Can a laser-focused Coco Gauff win the Australian Open?
After a disappointing US Open, Coco Gauff made changes to her game and the results have been undeniable.ESPN - 2d -
Sabalenka starts bid for third straight Australian Open title with win over Stephens
World No 1 beats Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 in first round Sabalenka looking to match Hingis’s Melbourne hat-trick As Aryna Sabalenka strode down the tunnel inside Rod Laver Arena that leads ...The Guardian - 3d -
Zheng wins indoors as Day 1 of the Australian Open is disrupted by rain
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen made the most of the indoor conditions under a roof at Rod Laver Arena to advance to the second round of the Australian Open in straight sets while it poured with rain ...ABC News - 3d -
GB's Jones & Harris win in Australian Open qualifying
Fran Jones and Billy Harris are through to the second round of Australian Open qualifying but three more Britons were beaten.BBC News - Jan. 7 -
Cruz Hewitt crashes out of Australian Open qualifying in front of packed-out crowd
16-year-old suffers 6-1, 6-4 loss to Basilashvili in qualifier Son of Lleyton shows glimpses of potential in AO debut A near-full court three at Melbourne Park was treated to a glimpse of ...The Guardian - Jan. 7 -
GB's Dart and Watson win in Australian Open qualifying
Great Britain's Harriet Dart and Heather Watson make it through to the second round of qualifying for the Australian Open, but Dan Evans is out.BBC News - Jan. 6
More from The Guardian
-
Israel-Gaza war live: Qatar PM to hold briefing amid hopes for Gaza ceasefire deal
Press conference due to take place today as negotiators attempt to finalise Gaza ceasefire and hostage agreement in Doha. In Oslo today, Norway is hosting a meeting of the global alliance for the ...The Guardian - 23m -
California fires live: 6m people under critical fire threat as dangerous winds expected; governor says conditioning aid ‘un-American’
Forecasters warn of ‘particularly dangerous weather situation’ in California; Gavin Newsom hits back at House speaker for ‘politicizing’ tragedy. ‘Running to danger’: 1,000 incarcerated ...The Guardian - 10m -
Attorney-general pick Pam Bondi refuses to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election – US politics live
Bondi facing senators as Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio and CIA pick John Ratcliffe also face confirmation hearings. Trump’s attorney general faces scrutiny at Senate hearing Who is Pam Bondi, ...The Guardian - 14m -
South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol arrested and questioned for hours
Impeached president questioned over martial law declaration last month after standoff at his residence. Explainer: After the arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol, what happens next? South Korea’s impeached ...The Guardian - 5m -
UK stalls Chagos Islands deal until Trump administration can ‘consider detail’
Future of Diego Garcia military base should be considered before handover to Mauritius signed off, No 10 says. UK politics live – latest updates The UK government will not sign off a deal to ...The Guardian - 36m
More in World
-
South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol arrested and questioned for hours
Impeached president questioned over martial law declaration last month after standoff at his residence. Explainer: After the arrest of Yoon Suk Yeol, what happens next? South Korea’s impeached ...The Guardian - 5m -
California fires live: 6m people under critical fire threat as dangerous winds expected; governor says conditioning aid ‘un-American’
Forecasters warn of ‘particularly dangerous weather situation’ in California; Gavin Newsom hits back at House speaker for ‘politicizing’ tragedy. ‘Running to danger’: 1,000 incarcerated ...The Guardian - 10m -
Attorney-general pick Pam Bondi refuses to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election – US politics live
Bondi facing senators as Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio and CIA pick John Ratcliffe also face confirmation hearings. Trump’s attorney general faces scrutiny at Senate hearing Who is Pam Bondi, ...The Guardian - 14m -
Israel-Gaza war live: Qatar PM to hold briefing amid hopes for Gaza ceasefire deal
Press conference due to take place today as negotiators attempt to finalise Gaza ceasefire and hostage agreement in Doha. In Oslo today, Norway is hosting a meeting of the global alliance for the ...The Guardian - 23m -
'It was either me or him and I won,' British retiree says after beating back mugger
An 84-year-old British man armed only with a pair of trousers beat back a mugger who tried to rob him at a laundry in Northern EnglandABC News - 26m