Defending champ Thanasi Kokkinakis pushes past top-seeded Andrey Rublev 6-4 3-6 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals at Adelaide International Tennis.
Rublev hasn't been playing good tennis to start the year and this is the second time in two weeks that he lost a match he should have won. He wasted a set and break in hand against Bautista Agut last week and now lost to Kokkinakis as well. The Aussie player was very determined to win this one and it showed.
He opened the first set with some pretty spectacular serving. He was being aggressive on return as well and it worked out well for him as Rublev struggled to win points after his 2nd serve. Kokkinakis used the only break point he had to win the set 6-4. Things changed a bit in the second set as Kokkinakis didn't serve as well as before.
He gave Rublev his first break point and the Russian took it. He navigated a couple of tricky games on his own serve successfully taking the set 6-3. Kokkinakis then produced another spectacular set of tennis where he didn't give an inch on his own serve. He patiently waited for a chance and then took it on Rublev's serve.
The finish was a comfortable cruise as well 6-3.
