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.
Compatriot Alex de Minaur was also impressive at Flushing Meadows, with the 10th seed outclassing local hope Marcos Giron in four sets.
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 unseeded Nuno Borges, with Schoolkate a potential round-three opponent following the West Australian’s own watershed win over Taro Daniel.
Thanasi Kokkinakis (pictured), Jordan Thompson and Tristan Schoolkate have continued Australia’s magnificent start to the US Open with rousing first-round victories in New York
Compatriot Alex de Minaur was also impressive at Flushing Meadows, with the 10th seed outclassing local hope Marcos Giron in four sets
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 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 once.
Aussie veteran Jordan Thompson breezed past Constant Lestienne 6-1 6-3 6-2 in less than two hours
Thompson will play world No.7 Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the last 32.
Australia now has eight players through to the second round, with Kokkinakis, Schoolkate, de Minaur 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 just 61 minutes in a 6-2 6-0 first-round loss to Russian seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Daria Saville’s comeback from a foot injury ended in frustration and despair, the Australian No.1 losing 6-3 4-6 7-6 (10-6) to Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in a three-hour, 16-minute cliff-hanger.
And Destanee Aiava’s run from qualifying ended with a gallant 6-1 7-6 (7-1) loss to fourth seed Elena Rybakina after the Australian had three set points to take the match against the 2022 Wimbledon champion to a decider.
In later matches on Wednesday AEDT, Sydney mates Aleksandar Vukic and Max Purcell will square off and 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.
Elsewhere, Chris O’Connell faces 26th seed Nicolas Jarry, while James Duckworth and Arina Rodionova are also in action.
