HOMETOWN hero Thanasi Kokkinakis has kept on winning at the 2025 Adelaide International, this time beating Tomas Etcheverry.

It was not easy for Kokkinakis, with the match taking over three hours, but the Aussie ultimately prevailed in three sets 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.

“Tomas is a hell of a player,” Kokkinakis said post match. “I knew it was going to be a dog fight, so I just tried to stay calm and pulled out of a couple of tricky situations.”

The hometown hero rocketed 23 aces past the Argentinian, but also served all four double faults served in the match.

Interestingly though, it was not the match for converting break points, with both men only managing to convert one break point each.

Kokkinakis’ quarter final opponent will be second seed Sebastian Korda, after the American beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets. It is a daunting prospect for Kokkinakis, who has never beaten him.

“I had match points on him in Washington and he shanked a ball past me on the line and he won the match and the tournament, so that one I’ve kind of still got demons about that to be honest,” Kokkinakis said, speaking about the last time he and Korda met.

Kokkinakis was not the only Aussie man to pick up a victory yesterday, with the remarkable run of Rinky Hijikata continuing. The lucky loser needed two hours and three sets but ultimately disposed of seventh seed Brandon Nakashima, beating the American for the first time ever. Hijikata also has a tough quarter final opponent, with top seeded American Tommy Paul awaiting him.

ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL ATP RESULTS: JANUARY 8

T. Kokkinakis (W) defeated T. Etcheverry (8) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6

T. Paul (1) defeated M. Guinard (LL) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

S. Korda (2) defeated A. Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-3

F. Auger-Aliassime (5) defeated A. Cazaux 1-6, 6-4, 7-5

R. Hijikata (LL) defeated B. Nakashima (7) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6

B. Bonzi (Q) defeated L. Tu (WC) 6-3, 6-3

M. Giron defeated D. Shapovalov 7-5, 6-2

M. Kecmanovic defeated C. O’Connell 7-6, 6-2