World number six Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to a five-game marathon by Thanasi Kokkinakis on Thursday before the Australian Open third round. The famous Greek star lost only four games in his first-round match, but faced a much tougher challenge from Australia’s world number 267.

He finally won the game 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 but it took him 4hr 32 mins to do it at Rod Laver Arena. Tsitsipas after winning the match,”I just want to have an ice bath right now.”

“He is a great competitor, a great fighter and it was very difficult facing him today. He has a great serve and all the weapons from the baseline.

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Praising his opponent, he said, “Thanasi is a great competitor, a great fighter and it was very difficult facing him today. He has a great serve and all the weapons from the baseline.” 

22-year-old Tsitsipas will play Swede Mikael Ymer next, who defeated Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.

Tsitsipas joined the match as a hot favourite, demolishing Gilles Simon in his opening match and never losing the Grand Slam game to a player as low as Kokkinakis. He’s got a good record against the Australians, with Nick Kyrgios, the only one ever to beat him.

Kokkinakis, who has been suffering by injury and illness during his career fought hard to stay in the game. With people in his support at home, he gave a great performance in a close first set, with both the players trading blows in long rallies and big serves.

The Australian saved two set points at 4-5 and took it to a tiebreaker, where he prevailed on the back of a Tsitsipas double fault.

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But the Greek’s superior firepower and fitness came to the fore in the second set and by the third Kokkinakis appeared to be running out of steam, unable to match Tsitsipas’ consistency.

He found a second wind, though, in the fourth set and after saving a match point at 4-5 took it to a fifth, buoyed by the energy of the crowd.

However, Tsitsipas’ unrelenting return on serve wore him down and he got a decisive break in fifth game as Kokkinakis tired.

Tsitsipas, into the third round for third successive year, is looking to better his 2019 effort when he made the semi-finals, beating Roger Federer before losing to Rafael Nadal.