Purcell, Kokkinakis dig deep to reach Open second round

Australian tennis's most improved performer recovered from a labouring start to post a 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 7-5 win over Hungarian qualifier Mate Valkusz at Kia Arena.

The fighting win was the 25-year-old's first main-draw success at Melbourne Park, having previously crashed out in round one in 2020 and 2023.

But those were the days when the Sydneysider was regarded more as a doubles specialist.

Twice an Australian Open doubles runner-up and Wimbledon doubles champion in 2022 with Matt Ebden, Purcell has morphed into a singles player of real substance.

He soared to No.40 in the world after reaching the Cincinnati Masters quarter-finals in August and is currently ranked No.45, making him Australian No.3 behind only de Minaur and Popyrin.

But despite a gulf of 169 rankings spots, Purcell didn't exactly do it easy against Valkusz, struggling for much of the first two sets to find his rhythm and then blowing six match points before finally prevailing after two hours and 52 sweat-soaked minutes.

"I was kind of just like 'turn it up', to be honest. The guy was pummelling me," Purcell told the courtside crowd.

"I didn't really stand much of a chance there, snuck my way back in the second set.

"Just tried to hold onto my serve and then hope he'd crack and he cracked and I got through it.

"I definitely needed you guys' support deep in the fourth. I was gagging it so hard."

He next plays three-time grand slam runner-up Casper Ruud, the 11th seed, for a place in the last 32 of a grand slam for the first time.

"I played (and beat) Casper in Cincinnati in relatively lively conditions. The ball's a little lighter than and more bouncy," Purcell said.

"But it's hot here, I'll have the crowd on my side and I'm more than happy to give him another crack."

Until Purcell's breakthrough, it hadn't been a great day for the local contingent, with Olivia Gadecki crashing out in less than an hour and fellow wildcards Kim Birrell and James McCabe also eliminated.

But Thanasi Kokkinakis then fought for more than four hours to join world No.10 Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Chris O'Connell, Purcell and women's emerging star Storm Hunter in the second round.

Kokkinakis outlasted Austrian Sebastian Ofner 7-6 (7-1) 2-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-6 (10-8) to book a date with in-form 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday.

"I wish I could do it easier, but I can't," Kokkinakis said after exorcising the demons of last year's epic first-round loss to Andy Murray that finished at four o'clock in the morning.

"I've got the mental focus of a three-year-old."

Gadecki was unable to emulate her first-round victory as a wildcard last year, falling 6-3 6-1 to American Sloane Stephens in 56 minutes.

The 21-year-old made a flying start, breaking Stephens to love and winning the opening eight points of the match.

But from 2-0 up, Gadecki fell apart, winning only seven more points to drop the set with a flurry of unforced errors.

Continuing to press in the second set against the clean-hitting former US Open champion, Gadecki only managed to win one more game as she finished with 26 unforced errors to Stephens' seven.

Birrell offered more resistance in a 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 loss to Latvia's in-form world No.10 Jelena Ostapenko, last week's Adelaide International champion.

McCabe was also gallant in a 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-1 6-2 loss to American Alex Michelsen on the 20-year-old's grand slam debut.

Australian Associated Press