For the second time in as many matches, Jack Draper found himself on the brink of a painful, early defeat at the Australian Open as his difficult preparation during the off-season was reflected in his form. Draper had been dragged around the court for three and a half hours, outplayed by an opponent determined to eviscerate every last ball. Down two sets to one, Draper was four points away from defeat as Thanasi Kokkinakis served for a place in the third round of the Australian Open.
Somehow, yet again, Draper found a way through with another demonstration of his combativeness and heart. At the end of a 4hr 35min psychodrama, the longest match of his career, Draper recovered to win his second consecutive five-set match with an unforgettable 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win against Kokkinakis just before midnight in Melbourne.
