Kokkinakis wins first US Open qualifier

Thanasi Kokkinakis’ hope of playing at this month’s US Open are still alive with the Australian teen winning his first-round qualifying match.

The 18-year-old recovered from a third-set deficit to beat Croatia’s Nikola Mekti 6-3 4-6 6-4 in New York.

Kokkinakis had led 4-1 in the second set and looked set to close out the match before going on to lose seven straight games.

He will next face Japanese teen Yoshihito Nishioka, who upset fifth seed Horacio Zeballos of Argentina.

Fellow Australians James Duckworth and Arina Rodionova also advanced to the second round after scoring three-set victories.

Duckworth fired 12 aces in toppling Frenchman Axel Michon 6-3 5-7 6-2 and plays American wildcard Ernesto Escobedo next up.

Rodionova posted a gritty 7-5 4-6 6-4 win to book a second-round clash with Lin Zhu of China.

The day wasn’t so kind to compatriots Alex Bolt, John-Patrick Smith, Matt Reid and Ben Mitchell, who all fell in their opening matches.

Four other Australians are yet to play their first-round qualifiers.

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