Thanasi Kokkinakis faces American Maxime Cressy in the opening round at this week’s Adelaide International.
Adelaide, Australia, 31 December 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Local hopes have been handed some challenging draws at this week’s Adelaide International.
Thanasi Kokkinakis, who scooped his maiden ATP Tour singles title in his hometown last summer, is one of three Australian contenders in the men’s singles draw.
The Aussie wildcard begins his 2023 season against world No.34 Maxime Cressy. The big-serving American won 11 of his 14 matches during the Australian summer in 2022, reaching a first tour-level final and the Australian Open fourth round.
Kokkinakis and Cressy have played twice before and split results. Cressy won their most recent meeting during the Wimbledon qualifying competition in 2021.
Chris O’Connell has drawn world No.29 Miomir Kecmanovic, who also progressed to the round of 16 at Australian Open 2022, and Jordan Thompson meets Frenchman Quentin Halys.
| Adelaide International Men’s singles, first round |
||||
| Player | Rank | Player | Rank | |
| [WC] Chris O’Connell (AUS) | 78 | v | Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) | 29 |
| [WC] Jordan Thompson (AUS) | 84 | v | Quentin Halys (FRA) | 64 |
| [WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) | 93 | v | Maxime Cressy (USA) | 34 |
> VIEW: Full Adelaide International men’s singles draw
Wildcards Priscilla Hon and Jaimee Fourlis are carrying Aussies hopes in the women’s singles competition.
A stacked field includes five Grand Slam champions and nine of the world’s top 20-ranked players.
Hon, who scored a career-first top-20 win against two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in Adelaide last summer, and Fourlis both face qualifiers in the first round.
| Adelaide International Women’s singles, first round |
||||
| Player | Rank | Player | Rank | |
| [WC] Priscilla Hon | 154 | v | Qualifier | |
| [WC] Jaimee Fourlis | 162 | v | Qualifer | |
> VIEW: Full Adelaide International women’s singles draw
A further nine Aussies players are hoping to earn a main-draw place through the qualifying competition, which begins today.
A strong contingent of Australians are also playing doubles in Adelaide this week, including world No.10 Storm Hunter, world No.20 Ellen Perez and Wimbledon champion Matt Ebden.
Kokkinakis, the world No.15, is playing doubles with Davis Cup team-mate Thompson.
The Adelaide International, a combined ATP 250 and WTA 500 event, is held at The Drive. It forms part of a two-week Adelaide Festival of Tennis, which concludes on 14…
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