Kokkinakis battles ache, rallies previous Korda for emotional Adelaide win

Match Report

Kokkinakis battles ache, rallies previous Korda for emotional Adelaide win

Vacherot, Humbert, Opelka additionally advance at ATP 250

January 12, 2026

Thanasi Kokkinakis made a surprising comeback after a troublesome 12 months with an emotional first-round victory on Monday on the Adelaide Worldwide.

Enjoying his first singles match for the reason that 2025 Australian Open, after which he underwent a radical surgical procedure on his pectoral muscle, Kokkinakis rallied to a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph at his hometown ATP 250. Kokkinakis gave the impression to be feeling ache in his shoulder and acquired remedy from the physio throughout the second set in opposition to Korda, however the 29-year-old pushed by way of to an exciting two-hour, 26-minute win.

“Oh man. It’s been a tough 12 months, however this makes all of it price it,” mentioned Kokkinakis in his on-court interview. “I had my eye on this in Adelaide, and I knew I’d come to a packed crowd and everybody cheering. Thanks a lot, I adore it right here.”

The Adelaide crowd was vociferous all through in its assist for Kokkinakis, who lifted his solely ATP Tour title at Memorial Drive in 2022. There was concern for the house hero within the second set, when he wobbled after opening a 5-1 lead, and he later acknowledged that his singles comeback was not with out price.

“It’s one thing that I really feel like I’ve been coping with my complete profession it appears like,” mentioned Kokkinakis of the damage. “I’ve labored so laborious to even give myself an opportunity to get again on this courtroom. Second set I hit a serve and it didn’t really feel nice. I used to be speaking to my crew each two minutes about whether or not I ought to cease. I felt like, ‘Even when I win, at what price?’ I don’t know. I at all times attempt to win, particularly right here in Adelaide. I don’t know if I can go any additional, however I adore it right here so I’m attempting my finest.”

And the group goes wild! 🗣️@TKokkinakis comes from a set all the way down to defeat Korda and declare his first win since present process surgical procedure in February 2025.@AdelaideTennis | #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/GmxEIagRmT

— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 12, 2026

Monday’s victory was Kokkinakis’ first in 4 Lexus ATP Head2Head conferences with the No. 51 within the PIF ATP Rankings Korda. Awaiting the Australian within the second spherical can be fifth seed Valentin Vacherot. The Monegasque star, who surprised the tennis world final October by profitable the Rolex Shanghai Masters as a qualifier, overcame Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(5), 6-4.

Like Vacherot, Ugo Humbert bounced again from a first-round exit in Brisbane by claiming a straight-sets win in his Adelaide opener. The previous World No. 13 prevailed 6-3, 7-6(3) in an all-French, all-lefty battle with Terence Atmane to advance to face fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor.

Reilly Opelka and Jaume Munar had been additionally straight-sets winners on Monday. Opelka downed house favorite Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 7-6(6) with the assistance of twenty-two aces, in response to Infosys ATP Stats, and he’ll face his good pal and second seed Tommy Paul for a quarter-final spot. In the meantime Munar misplaced the primary three video games in opposition to Daniel Altmaier however received the next 12 to prevail 6-3, 6-0 and set a gathering with third seed Francisco Cerundolo.