British No. 1 Jack Draper showcased resilience and determination as he staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis in a five-set thriller, advancing to the third round of the Australian Open. Draper secured the victory with a 6-7(7), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 triumph, marking his second consecutive five-set win in the tournament.
The opening set saw Kokkinakis take control despite committing 19 unforced errors. The Australian’s powerful serve, which allowed him to concede only five points, proved decisive as he edged Draper in a tense tie-break.
Draper responded emphatically in the second set, immediately breaking Kokkinakis’ serve and maintaining momentum to claim it 6-3. However, Kokkinakis regained his footing in the third set. Despite taking a medical timeout for a suspected pectoral issue, the Australian fought through a marathon 16-minute service game and broke Draper to take the set 6-3.
Facing a hostile home crowd and trailing 5-3 in the fourth set, Draper was on the brink of elimination. Yet, the 21-year-old Brit demonstrated remarkable composure, breaking Kokkinakis without dropping a point and holding serve to force a deciding fifth set.
Riding the momentum from his fourth-set comeback, Draper dominated the final set, sealing it 6-3 to complete a memorable victory. The match, filled with dramatic twists and turns, showcased Draper’s growing maturity and endurance, following his first-round five-set win against Mariano Navone.
Draper now advances to the third round, where he will look to build on this hard-fought victory and continue his impressive campaign at Melbourne Park.
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