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Thanasi Kokkinakis is out of the French Open after a straight set loss to Novak Djokovic in the 3rd round.
DJOKOVIC 6 6 6
KOKKINAKIS 4 4 4
In a close contest, for all three sets, one break of serve in each set was enough for the world number 1 to win.
The Aussie started well, winning his opening two games on serve.
Djokovic then flexed his muscles and broke the South Australian in the 5th game of the set. That would be enough for the Serbian to claim the first 6 games to 4.
He then broke the Aussie to love in the first game of the second set, and served well, to move two sets to love up against the world number 84.
Kokkinakis struggled to create chances throughout on Djokovic’s serve. The best was a deuce game in the 4th game of the set.
Djokovic just didn’t give the Australian anything, and no matter what the Aussie threw at him, it didn’t translate into scoreboard pressure.
Kokkinakis would hold serve in the opening two games of the third set, and save four break points in the second game.
Unfortunately though, he couldn’t hold on, and Djokovic would break for a 3-2 lead in the third set.
He would lose just one more point on serve after that and record what looked like a comfortable win on paper.
He didn’t concede a break point, and didn’t lose a set.
What the scoreboard won’t reveal however is how well Kokkinakis played.
The Aussie pushed Djokovic at times but the world number 1 showed just how well he is playing at the moment.
He will be hard to beat over the next two weeks and the Aussie can hang is head high on a great campaign at the French Open.
The Aussie will now take a week off before starting his grass season in either Surbitron, Stuttgart or s’Hertogenbosch.
Can Thanasi Kokkinakis produce a Nick Kyrgios moment and defeat the world number 1, Novak Djokovic, at a Grand Slam event?
Find out, and follow the live scores as we live blog the South Australian’s biggest match of his career tonight at around 8:30pm AEST.
After winning a marathon match against fellow Australian, Bernard Tomic, Kokkinakis now faces the toughest test in tennis at the moment.
Djokovic has been simply unstoppable in 2015 and is currently on a 25-match unbeaten run in the ATP.
He has continued that form into the French Open, losing only 9 games against Jarkko Nieminen, and 9 as well against Gilles Muller.
He hasn’t lost since March against Roger Federer in Dubai and has a record of 36-2 this year.
Not to be outdone Kokkinakis has won 14 of his last 16 matches on clay and won the Bordeaux Challenger.
There is also an injury cloud with Djokovic after he needed treatment for a hip injury during his last match.
He said it didn’t bother him during the match but a hip injury can be a horrible one to have in a tennis match.
Kokkinakis also has an injury concern of his own after falling on his racquet during the fourth set of the match against Tomic.
He got a nice gash on his stomach from that and it did cause him pain in the final set against Tomic.
He should be right for tonight but those injuries can also linger and come out with pain at the worst time.
This match all depends on how long Kokkinakis can match the level Djokovic is at. I feel he can do it for two, or three sets, but not for four or five.
He will also need to serve well, like he did in the last three sets against Tomic. Making Djokovic frustrated will also be vital. He doesn’t play at his best, like most players do, when he starts to get angry on the court.
This match will be a good test for Kokkinakis.
At the end of the match he will know what to do to match it with the best.
If he wins then he will already be at that level. I can’t see that happening tonight. He may win a set but Djokovic will be too strong.
PREDICTION – Djokovic 3-1.
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