Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis has continued his dream week at the Adelaide International after overcoming Mikael Ymer in a Friday late-night epic.
Kokkinakis required two hours and 44 minutes to see off the Swede 7-6(9) 4-6 6-4 to advance to the semifinals.
There he will face No.1 seed Gael Monfils, who continued his smooth progress in Adelaide with a straight-sets win over American Tommy Paul earlier in the day.
Paul, the sixth seed, carried a seven-match winning streak into the Centre Court match-up but could not combat the French veteran’s power and consistency.
However, Friday at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre belonged to Kokkinakis, who advanced to just the second ATP-level final of his career – and first since Los Cabos in August 2017.
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“I have no idea what time it is. I know it’s two three-setters. Thank you so much for hanging around, it means the world and helps me so much,” the world No.171 told the crowd, referencing his previous victory over fourth seed Frances Tiafoe, during which he recovered from a set and a break down.
“It felt like I was playing a human brick wall (tonight against Ymer).
“It’s gonna be a fun match (against Monfils). He brings so much energy. You kind of don’t really know what you’re getting down the other end but when he’s on, he was one of my favourite players, if not my favourite player growing up.”
In the first set Ymer frustrated Kokkinakis with his supreme consistency and court coverage, and took a 3-1 lead in the tiebreak, only for the Australian to power through four consecutive points and take control.
Nervous moments ensued when both players held, and lost, set points – until Kokkinakis finally converted his second.
Ymer, the world No.94, responded immediately with a break to start the second set and held onto his advantage for the remainder of it.
Kokkinakis flipped the script in the third, breaking early on and taking a 3-0 lead. That lead didn’t last, as Ymer reeled the 25-year-old in and levelled scores at 3-3.
But, serving second, Ymer was always playing catch up, and when serving to stay in the match at 4-5, he blinked.
He double-faulted to hand Kokkinakis a match point and pushing a forehand wide to end the contest.
Monfils, Cilic progress
Monfils posted a 6-4 6-1 win over Paul in just 68 minutes, less than 24 hours after dismissing Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo for the loss of just three games.
“It was a tough one. I had a great start and he broke me back,” said Monfils, who finished with more winners and less unforced errors than Paul.
“I think I was rushing a little bit my first serve, and … (needed) a little bit more timing on my first serve to have free points.
“And then it was just a battle. Felt great. And put it left and right, run, heavy forehands and at the end I get through. I’m happy with that.”
Earlier on Friday, third seed Marin Cilic cruised past Serb Laslo Djere – to book his semifinal berth – in a minute less than it took Monfils to subdue Paul.
Paul won his first ATP title in his last tournament of the 2021 season in Stockholm, and had won two matches to reach the last eight in Adelaide.
But the 24-year-old had few answers against Monfils.
Despite clawing a break back early in the first set, Paul was broken again in the 10th game to hand the set to Monfils, who then stormed through six straight games from 0-1 down in the second set to prevail.
Monfils, currently ranked No.21, has won 14 of his last 20 matches as he builds momentum ahead of an incredible 17th Australian Open campaign.
Cilic, meanwhile, is also rounding back into form, with the Croatian veteran back up to world No.30 after dipping as low as 47th midway through 2021.
The 2014 US Open champion won two ATP titles last year – Stuttgart and St. Petersburg – and is yet to drop a set this week in Adelaide.
“The match was very solid from start to finish. Served really well,” said Cilic, who next faces No.2 seed Karen Khachanov.
“Courts here are quite quick. I mean, generally in Australia the courts play quite quick. That’s good. I feel that’s good for my game.
“For me these matches are incredibly valuable. Hoping that I’m going to keep going with wins. Definitely it can grow into my confidence.”
Khachanov, a former world No.8, beat Belarusian Egor Gerasimov 7-5 6-3 and will attempt to beat Cilic for the first time in three career meetings.