Aussie trio score wins in Adelaide as Australian Open prep heats up

Australians Jordan Thompson, Alex Bolt and Christopher O’Connell have eased the disappointment of local hero Thanasi Kokkinakis’s opening-night defeat by posting first-round wins at the Adelaide International. 

Last night, Kokkinakis took his hometown fans on a rollercoaster ride before going down to Serbian veteran Dusan Lajovic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Thompson, who sensationally saved three match points last week to stun the great Rafael Nadal in Brisbane, had far fewer issues dispatching inexperienced Argentinean left-hander Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t ask for much more,” Thompson said after punching his ticket to a second-round duel with fourth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti.

“Great wins last week in singles and doubles and to start the Adelaide tournament like this is very pleasing.”

South Australian left-hander Alex Bolt, a quarterfinalist at Memorial Drive four years ago, comfortably beat former US Open junior singles champion Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 6-2.

Bolt will play top seed Tommy Paul in the round of 16.

Earlier, wildcard O’Connell bounced back from his narrow loss to countryman Alexei Popyrin at the Brisbane International to notch a clinical 6-4, 6-4 win against French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech.

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The 29-year-old, who temporarily retired from the sport to clean boats in 2018 following a plethora of breakdowns including a back stress fracture and knee tendinitis, is relishing his current full bill of health.

“One of the biggest things — me and my coach have been talking about it — is just staying injury-free,” O’Connell said after ousting Rinderknech, who was runner-up to Kokkinakis in Adelaide two years ago.

“I’ve had a lot of injuries. If I can get a full schedule together and play week-in, week-out, my tennis is going to do the rest.

“It’s always tough getting that first win of the year. Pretty happy I got through this one.”

AAP