Adelaide International 2: Kokkinakis starts new season with a win

ADELAIDE: One year after lifting his first ATP Tour trophy in Adelaide, Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis made a winning start in another campaign at the Adelaide International 2 ATP Tour event here on Monday.

The Australian made more memories on his home court Monday evening when he battled past countryman Alexei Popyrin 6-0, 6-7(5), 7-5 in the first round after two hours and 45 minutes.

In other matches on the first day, Mackenzie McDonald of the United /states player as he got the better of Briton Daniel Evans; Fellow Briton, Jack Draper advanced to the next round by beating Lorenzo Sonego of Italy 6-4,6-2 while Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Brendon Nakashima of the United States 6-3, 7-5.

It will not get easier in the second round when Kokkinakis plays top seed Andrey Rublev, the No. 6 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

American Mackenzie McDonald let slip a two-set advantage against Daniel Evans three years ago at the Australian Open. McDonald earned a measure of revenge on Monday when he ousted the Briton 7-5, 7-5.

Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic also reached the second round with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over Briton Kyle Edmund.

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