Thanasi Kokkinakis beats Sebastian Korda for thrilling Adelaide win | ATP Tour

match report

Kokkinakis battles injury to beat Koda in thrilling Adelaide win

Vaccello, Humbert, and Opelka also advanced to ATP 250

January 12, 2026

Thanasi Kokkinakis made a stunning comeback after a difficult 12 months with a thrilling first-round victory at the Adelaide International on Monday.

Kokkinakis won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) at his hometown ATP 250 in his first singles match since the 2025 Australian Open before undergoing radical surgery on his pectoral muscle. Kokkinakis appeared to have shoulder pain in the second set against Korda and was treated by a physiotherapist, but the 29-year-old overcame his opponent with an exciting performance. Won in 2 hours and 26 minutes.

“Oh my gosh. It’s been a tough 12 months, but it’s been worth it,” Kokkinakis said in an on-court interview. “I noticed that in Adelaide and I knew I was going to be in front of a big crowd and everyone was cheering. Thank you so much, I love it here.”

Adelaide fans were loud throughout in support of Kokkinakis, who lifted his only ATP Tour title at Memorial Drive in 2022. There were concerns about the home hero in the second set when he faltered with a 5-1 lead, and he later admitted that his singles comeback had not been without cost.

“I feel like I’ve been dealing with this my whole career,” Kokkinakis said of the injury. “I worked really hard and even gave myself a chance to get back on the court. I hit a serve in the second set and it didn’t feel good. I was talking to my team every two minutes about whether I should stop. I thought, ‘Even if I win, at what cost?’ I don’t know. I always try to win, especially in Adelaide. I don’t know if I can go further, but I love it here, so I’ll try my best.”

The crowd went crazy! 🗣️@TKokkinakis He defeated Korda after dropping a set to win his first victory 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 head-to-head matches against Korda, No. 51 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Awaiting the Australian in the second round is fifth seed Valentin Vaccello. The Monaco star shocked the tennis world last October when he won the Rolex Shanghai Masters qualifier, defeating Miomir Kekmanović 7-6(5), 6-4.

Like Vaccello, Ugo Humbert made a comeback from a first-round exit in Brisbane, winning his first match in Adelaide in straight sets. The former world No. 13 defeated Terence Atmane 6-3, 7-6(3) in an all-French southpaw match to advance to face fourth seed Tallon Griekspoor.

Reilly Opelka and Jaume Munar also won in straight sets on Monday. Opelka, who beat home favorite Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 7-6(6) with 22 aces, will compete with his good friend and second-seeded Tommy Paul for a quarterfinal spot, according to Infosys ATP statistics. Munar, meanwhile, lost his first three games against Daniel Altmaier but won his next 12, 6-3, 6-0, to set up a meeting with third seed Francisco Cerundolo.