Thanasi Kokkinakis, Jordan Thompson and Tristan Schoolkate have continued Australia’s magnificent start to the US Open with rousing first-round victories in New York.
Fan favourite Kokkinakis received a standing ovation on The Grandstand after upsetting dual grand slam runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-3 7-5 to complete a stunning Australian treble early on day three.
Incredibly, Kokkinakis’s fighting four-set triumph over the 11th seed was only his second victory at the Open in nine injury-plagued years.
“A massive relief,” Kokkinakis said of the best grand slam win of his career.
“Super happy, super pumped. It’s been well documented I’ve had some tight ones, but I’m starting to get on the winning side of them now.”
The 28-year-old’s reward is a golden opportunity to finally make a grand slam run in a wide open pocket of the draw.
Kokkinakis next faces Nuno Borges or Federico Coria, with neither seeded, with Schoolkate a potential round-three opponent following the West Australian’s own watershed win over Taro Daniel.
Schoolkate vindicated his wildcard entry with a steely 4-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 comeback victory on his long-awaited grand slam main-draw debut.
“It’s fantastic. I’m obviously very happy to get through that match,” said the world No.193.
“Especially being down two sets to love, it seems like a long way back.
“But I thought if I just kept with it and keep myself in the match, there’s no time limit in tennis.
“As long as you’re still playing, you’ve still got a chance.”
The 23-year-old world No.193 earned a second-round shot at Czeck Jakub Mensik, not to mention a life-changing career pay day of at least $US140,000 ($207,000).
Thompson earlier shook off the disappointment of missing a seeding by one lousy rankings spot to blow away Constant Lestienne 6-1 6-3 6-2 in less than two hours.
The world No.32 did his best to escape the searing heat by breaking the Frenchman six times without dropping his own serve even once.
Thompson will play world No.7 Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the last 32.
Australia now has seven players through to the second round, with Kokkinakis, Schoolkate and Thompson joining day-one winners Alexei Popyrin, Rinky Hijikata, Ajla Tomljanovic and 18-year-old qualifier Maya Joint.
But women’s wildcard Taylah Preston’s international grand slam debut lasted but 61 minutes in a 6-2 6-0 first-round loss to Russian seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
A whopping 13 Australians were scheduled to play on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), including men’s 10th seed Alex de Minaur in his eagerly-awaited return from a hip injury.
De Minaur takes on American Marcos Giron, having not played a tour match since having to withdraw from his slated Wimbledon quarter-final showdown with Novak Djokovic in early July.
At least one more Australian will progress, with Sydney mates Aleksandar Vukic and Max Purcell squaring off.
South Australian qualifier Li Tu has a dream date with reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s feature night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Chris O’Connell faces 26th seed Nicolas Jarry, while James Duckworth, Arina Rodionova and Destanee Aiava, who plays fourth seed Elena Rybakina, are also up later.
Daria future clouded
Daria Saville is contemplating her future in tennis after suffering heartbreak for the second straight grand slam in a despairing first-round exit from the US Open in New York.
The crestfallen Australian No.1 pulverised her racquet into pieces after falling 6-3 4-6 7-6 (10-6) to Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in a three-hour, 16-minute rollercoaster of emotions at Flushing Meadows.
Saville looked set to post her first win in almost two months after fighting back from a set down to be leading 2-0, 30-0 in the decider.
But she lost her way after narrowly missing a backhand and allowing Shibahara back on serve in the marathon third set.
Berating herself at seemingly every error, Saville did well to hold for 6-5 after a 16-minute service game as the see-sawing encounter inevitably moved into a first-to-10 match tiebreaker.
Alas, a double-fault from from Saville on match point proved the breaking point for the temperamental former junior world No.1.
Saville smashed her racquet five times into the court in disgust and frustration, no doubt mentally haunted by a similarly soul-destroying Wimbledon second-round loss last month.
On that occasion, Saville blew a 6-2 5-1 lead against Marta Kostyuk – and hasn’t won since while also battling a painful bout of plantar fasciitis in her foot.
The 30-year-old conceded she only played the Open for the guaranteed $US100,000 (first-round loser’s cheque).
“That is the truth. Where else will I make money? I lose money anywhere else if I bring a coach,” Saville said.
“Mentally, it was tough because I felt that I didn’t even deserve it because I didn’t put in the work.
“It is just a cycle. I have had it before when I was playing injured and it is just a horrible cycle. (I’m thinking), ‘Do I even want to do this anymore?’.
“I’m really negative right now. I don’t know how I will feel tomorrow and probably I won’t feel that way in a few days, but it is not fun playing injured.”
Slated to drop to No.97 in the world rankings, Saville must quickly pick up the pieces from her latest setback in order to stay in the top 100 and secure direct entry to the Australian Open in January.
The feisty baseliner hopes to play the Asian swing but is making no promises.
“I will regroup maybe,” Saville said.
“But sometimes I maybe feel like I don’t even want to do this thing anymore.”
© AAP