Match Report
Kokkinakis battles pain, rallies past Korda for emotional Adelaide win
Vacherot, Humbert, Opelka also advance at ATP 250
January 12, 2026
Sarah Reed/Getty Images
Thanasi Kokkinakis overcomes Sebastian Korda in three sets on Monday in Adelaide.
By Andy West
Thanasi Kokkinakis made a stunning comeback after a difficult 12 months with an emotional first-round victory on Monday at the Adelaide International.
Playing his first singles match since the 2025 Australian Open, after which he underwent a radical surgery on his pectoral muscle, Kokkinakis rallied to a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) triumph at his hometown ATP 250. Kokkinakis appeared to be feeling pain in his shoulder and received treatment from the physio during the second set against Korda, but the 29-year-old pushed through to a thrilling two-hour, 26-minute win.
“Oh man. It’s been a rough 12 months, but this makes it all worth it,” said Kokkinakis in his on-court interview. “I had my eye on this in Adelaide, and I knew I’d come to a packed crowd and everyone cheering. Thank you so much, I love it here.”
The Adelaide crowd was vociferous throughout in its support for Kokkinakis, who lifted his only ATP Tour title at Memorial Drive in 2022. There was concern for the home hero in the second set, when he wobbled after opening a 5-1 lead, and he later acknowledged that his singles comeback was not without cost.
“It’s something that I feel like I’ve been dealing with my whole career it feels like,” said Kokkinakis of the injury. “I’ve worked so hard to even give myself a chance to get back on this court. Second set I hit a serve and it didn’t feel great. I was talking to my team every two minutes about whether I should stop. I felt like, ‘Even if I win, at what cost?’ I don’t know. I always try and win, especially here in Adelaide. I don’t know if I can go any further, but I love it here so I’m trying my best.”
And the crowd goes wild! 🗣️@TKokkinakis comes from a set down to defeat Korda and claim his first win since undergoing surgery in February 2025.@AdelaideTennis | #AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/GmxEIagRmT
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 12, 2026
Monday’s victory was Kokkinakis’ first in four Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings with the No. 51 in the PIF ATP Rankings Korda. Awaiting the Australian in the second round will be fifth seed Valentin Vacherot. The Monegasque star, who stunned the tennis world last October by winning the Rolex Shanghai Masters as a qualifier, overcame Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(5), 6-4.
Like Vacherot, Ugo Humbert bounced back from a first-round exit in Brisbane by claiming a straight-sets win in his Adelaide opener. The former World No. 13 prevailed 6-3, 7-6(3) in an all-French, all-lefty battle with Terence Atmane to advance to face fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor.
Reilly Opelka and Jaume Munar were also straight-sets winners on Monday. Opelka downed home favourite Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 7-6(6) with the help of 22 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and he will face his good friend and second seed Tommy Paul for a quarter-final spot. Meanwhile Munar lost the first three games against Daniel Altmaier but won the following 12 to prevail 6-3, 6-0 and set a meeting with third seed Francisco Cerundolo.
