Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis Prediction Australian Open Tennis Picks 1/15/25
Australian Open Prediction: Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Betting Odds: Jack Draper -217 / Thanasi Kokkinakis +174 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: ESPN
Jack Draper and Thanasi Kokkinakis meet in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Here's our Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis prediction. This preview also includes a Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis pick.
Jack Draper Preview
Jack Draper defeated Mariano Navone in five sets in his opening match at the 2025 Australian Open. The match took 45 games to decide and lasted precisely four hours.
The British lefty prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in his first five-set match since beating Elias Ymer at Wimbledon last summer. Draper recorded 54 winners and 88 unforced errors. That included 13 aces and three double faults.
Draper landed 58% of first serves and won 67% of first-serve points (62/93). The World No. 18 won 48% of second-serve points (32/67).
Draper held in 18 of 23 service games in the match and saved 12 of 17 break points on his serve. He won 43% of return points (69/160) and converted seven of 17 break points.
This was Draper's first match for 2025 having pulled out from the United Cup because of a hip injury.
Thanasi Kokkinakis Preview
World No. 71 Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Roman Safiullin in four sets. The match took 40 games to decide and lasted four hours and one minute.
Kokkinakis recorded 53 winners and 53 unforced errors. That included 23 aces and only one double fault. The Australian landed 67% of first serves and won 72% of first-serve points (76/106).
Kokkinakis won 35% of second-serve points (18/52). He held in 15 of 19 service games in the match and saved 18 of 22 break points on his serve.
Kokkinakis won 41% of return points (53/130) and converted six of eight break points.
This was his third win of 2025. He won two matches in Adelaide but withdrew before the quarterfinal.
Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis Head-To-Head
• Draper and Kokkinakis have met three times on the professional circuit.
• Draper leads the head-to-head 2-1.
• However, Kokkinakis won their last hard court meeting at the 2024 Los Cabos Open.
• None of their three matches were settled in straight sets.
Jack Draper vs Thanasi Kokkinakis Prediction
Both players played a four-hour match in their openers. Draper was forthright in his assessment of that chaotic victory against Mariano Navone. He was nowhere near his best but showed heart and bravery when it mattered. The biggest concern is how he let an opponent who doesn't always perform on this surface break his serve five times. Had it not been for a late injury, who knows, maybe Navone could have completed the upset.
Nonetheless, this is an ideal setting for Kokkinakis. He's playing on home soil in one of the main courts in the night session. There won't be many Australians left in the Australian Open draw by the third round stage, but you are getting almost three times your money backing Kokkinakis to be one of them. For me, Draper's fragile body evens the odds, and taking the plus money on an in-form home player is a great pick. Also, I should mention, that none of their previous three matches were settled in straight sets so that's another angle to exploit the markets.
Nur’s Pick Thanasi Kokkinakis in five sets
AUTHOR: Nur Said
