Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alex de Minaur have the chance to become the first Australian men to reach the fourth round in singles at Roland Garros since 2007.
Paris, France, 1 June 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alex de Minaur are proudly leading the Australian charge in the men’s singles competition at Roland Garros this year – but have done so in contrasting fashions.
World No.11 De Minaur has conceded just 13 games across his two matches so far, marking his most efficient progression to this stage in a Grand Slam draw.
Kokkinakis, on the other hand, has contested two five-set battles and toiled for more than eight hours on court.
“Finding a win ugly is better than not winning at all,” world No.100 Kokkinakis said. “(But) it’s tough, I really need to try to do it easier.”
A place in the fourth round is the prize on offer when they resume their respective campaigns on day seven. They have the chance to become the first Australian men in 18 years to reach this stage in Paris, with Lleyton Hewitt the last to do so in 2007.
Should they both advance, it would mark the first time in 23 years that two Australian men had made the fourth round at Roland Garros (matching the effort of Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs in 2001).
De Minaur takes on German’s Jan-Lennard Struff, looking to extend his career-best run at Roland Garros.
“He’s a very powerful player,” the 25-year-old Australian noted ahead of his clash with the world No.41. “It’s going to be a battle from the very first point. He’s got a great serve and going to look to dictate as much as possible.”
Although De Minaur has won three of his five previous meetings against the 34-year-old Struff, he did lose their only clay-court meeting at Monte Carlo last season.
The 28-year-old Kokkinakis, who has advanced to the third round at Roland Garros for the third time, faces a showdown with world No.12 Taylor Fritz. They have played twice before, splitting results.
Like Kokkinakis, the 26-year-old American is yet to reach the fourth round in Paris. It means there is a major opportunity up for grabs when they go head-to-head for the first time since 2018.
“(Fritz is a) very good player and he’s done it a little bit easier than me to get to the third round,” Kokkinakis said, detailing his focus is on recovering well from his taxing opening rounds. “I know when my body is there, I have a chance against anyone.”
A further six Australians feature in doubles matches on day seven, including world No.3 Matt Ebden who begins his campaign in the men’s doubles competition alongside Indian Rohan Bopanna.
Roland Garros is broadcast live in Australia on the Nine Network and Stan Sport, with coverage beginning at 6.30pm AEST.
Aussies in action on day seven:
Men’s singles, third round
[11] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER), Court 14, first match (from 7pm AEST)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [12] Taylor Fritz (USA), Court Simonne-Mathieu, fifth match
Men’s doubles, first round
John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Denys Molchanov (UKR) v Petros Tsitsipas (GRE)/Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE), Court 7, second match
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [Alt] Orlando Luz (BRA)/Marcelo Zormann (BRA), Court 9, third match
Men’s doubles, second round
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [7] Wesley Koolhof (NED)/Nikola Mektic (CRO), Court 6, first match (from 7pm AEST)
John Peers (AUS)/Roman Safiullin v [10] Sander Gille (BEL)/Joran Vliegen (BEL), Court 8, third match
Women’s doubles, second round
[2] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Wang Xiyu (CHN)/Yuan Yue (CHN), Court 11, third match
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 day seven schedule
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