Thanasi Kokkinakis hopes Nick Kyrgios stuns Dominic Thiem at AO

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Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis hopes that his fellow compatriot Nick Kyrgios will stun world No. 3 Dominic Thiem on Friday and be in good spirits for their doubles match. Kokkinakis, ranked at No. 207 in the world, competed extremely well against world No.

6 Stefanos Tsitsipas in their second round clash but fell just short in the end. Tsitsipas, seeded at No. 5, edged out former world No. 69 Kokkinakis 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-1 6-7 (5) 6-4 to reach the third round at Melbourne Park. Kokkinakis was scheduled to play a doubles match with Kyrgios later on Thursday but the rain postponed their match.

"Hopefully Nick can get over the line tomorrow, and then I think we have doubles on Saturday. It's going to be good fun. He was going to have to carry me a little bit today. I would have been pretty tired. It's good playing with a close mate," Kokkinakis said after the match, per Michal Samulski.

Kokkinakis praised by Tsitsipas

After losing a total of six games against Soonwoo Kwon in the first round, Kokkinakis played extremely well against one of the best players in the world. Tsitsipas managed to survive a tough Kokkinakis challenge but after the match said he was happy to see the Australian back to the courts.

Kokkinakis, who had a breakthrough season on the Tour in 2015, has been battling with various injuries over the last several years. “I think he has a huge forehand, [a] very good serve. All the potential is there. I really hope he stays injury-free, because it can be very frustrating.

I have dealt with it, and I know it's very difficult mentally to go through things like this. I just wish him good health and that he can compete an entire year without any pain or anything bothering him," Tsitsipas said of Kokkinakis.