Draper defies Kokkinakis and partisan Australian Open crowd to win thriller | Australian Open 2025

For the second time in as many rounds, Jack Draper found himself on the brink of a desperate, early defeat, his difficult off-season preparation laid bare. He had been dragged around the pitch for three and a half hours, comprehensively outplayed by an opponent determined to remove every last ball.

Thanasi Kokkinakis led two sets to one and stood at the baseline to earn a place in the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. Somehow the British no. 1 again a way through by offering another display of his fighting spirit and heart.

In a psychodrama lasting four hours and 35 minutes, the longest match of his career, Draper rallied to win his second consecutive five-set match with an unforgettable 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3- 6, 7-5, 6 -3 victory over Kokkinakis around midnight in Melbourne.

Draper, the 15th seed, will be joined in the third round by his old friend Jacob Fearnley, who continued his spectacular breakout run in his first grand slam as a direct participant. Fearnley recovered from a set down to reach the third round with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 win over Arthur Cazaux of France.

Two days after his huge victory over Nick Kyrgios at the John Cain Arena, Fearnley returned to the smaller areas of court six. Fearnley initially trailed 1-5 in the opening set before gradually working his way into the match to then cruise through the final three sets.