A year after lighting up Melbourne Park with a title-winning run in doubles, Thanasi Kokkinakis is starring on the singles court.
The fan favourite made a commanding start to his Australian Open 2023 campaign, completing a 6-1 6-2 6-2 victory against 35-year-old Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Wednesday evening.
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Fognini is a former world No.9 who has advanced to the Australian Open's last 16 on four occasions, but it was 26-year-old Kokkinakis who shone brightest in their first-round clash.
The world No.159 resumed the rain-delayed match leading 6-1 6-2 4-2, with Fognini serving at 15-40.
Kokkinakis only needed to play six points, winning five of them, to close out a comfortable victory.
"That was some match, I don't think I've experienced anything like that," Kokkinakis said.
This equals Kokkinakis' career-best result in an Australian Open singles draw, matching his second-round appearances in 2014, 2015 and 2021. To progress further, Kokkinakis will need to beat former world No.1 Andy Murray.
"Andy is someone I respect a great amount. Obviously he has been at the top of the game, and he can relate a little bit with the injury side of things. I missed a fair few years, and so has he, especially recently," Kokkinakis said.
"He was someone when I came onto tour that was always willing to give some advice. I practised with him a fair bit, I played doubles with him at Indian Wells, so we have a fairly good relationship.
"We get along really well. I actually really like him off the court. I remember watching him when I was younger thinking 'this dude looks moody as hell, he looks miserable'. Then when you got to know him, he is actually a ripper bloke and a good guy.
"(But I'll) put all that aside and give it a crack tomorrow."
MORE: AO 2023 men's singles draw
Murray, a five-time Australian Open finalist, upset AO 2022 semifinalist and No.13 seed Matteo Berrettini in a five-set thriller on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old sensationally saved a match point in their four-hour and 49-minute battle to eventually seal his first win over a top-20 opponent at a major since 2017.
World No.66 Murray owns a winning record against Kokkinakis, beating him in straight sets during the Davis Cup semifinals in 2015.
Earlier on Wednesday, Max Purcell bowed out in his rain-delayed first-round match with Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori. The 24-year-old Australian qualifier had six set points in a fourth-set tiebreak, but was unable to convert.
Aleksandar Vukic also lost his opening-round match, exiting in five sets against fellow qualifier Brandon Holt, son of former world No.1 and two-time US Open champion Tracy Austin.
Also bowing out of the singles events were John Millman – who fell in straight sets to two-time AO finalist Daniil Medvedev – and Jason Kubler, who fought hard but eventually found Karen Khachanov too strong.
Olivia Gadecki's maiden AO campaign came to end in the second round against AO 2017 junior champion Marta Kostyuk, who next plays No.3 seed Jessica Pegula.