Preview: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Thanasi Kokkinakis – Forecast, Form, Head-to-Head

Stephanos Tsitsipas faces Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second singles match of the 2024 Laver Cup on Friday, looking to beat his US Open winner.

The Greek star crashed out of the last Grand Slam in 2024 in the first round — her first Grand Slam opening-round defeat in two years — but is eager to be part of Team Europe’s bid to end Team World’s two-year winning streak at the event.

Match preview

© Imago

Tsitsipas had a really hard summer, arguing and breaking up with his father and former coach Apostolos, but he eventually lost in the first round of the US Open.

The Greek star will face a man in Friday’s match who has suffered his first Grand Slam defeat since the 2022 event in New York, and will be looking to record a fifth success in the three-day event.

Although Tsitsipas’ overall win-loss record at the Laver Cup is 4-3, two of his losses have come in doubles, while his only singles loss came in a thrilling third-day match against Frances Tiafoe two years ago.

Having lost four of his last five matches on clay and hard courts, the world No. 12 is hoping the exhibition tournament in Germany will improve his fortunes.

© Imago

On the other side of the court is the Laver Cup debutant, who is relishing his clash with Tsitsipas just three weeks after a surprising victory over the two-time Grand Slam finalist.

The 28-year-old Australian’s career may have been ruined by injuries, but 2024 was something of a rebirth year for him. ATP Tournament for the first time in history, he avoided being eliminated at the opening stage of all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single calendar year.

While Kokkinakis’s highlight of 2024 was the third round of the French Open, he will be hoping his serve holds up against Tsitsipas on Friday, in their third meeting on the tour.

With the opening bout between Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo set to be followed by a second singles match, the world No. 78 will be looking to repeat the feat to continue his higher-ranked opponent’s summer losing streak.

Face to face

US Open (2024) – first round:Result 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3 7-5

Australian Open (2021) – second round:Tsitsipas 6-7(5) 6-4 6-1 6-7(5) 6-4

Tsitsipas and Kokkinakis have previously met only at Grand Slam tournaments. The Greek defeated the Australian on home soil three years ago, and this year lost to a man two years his senior at the tournament in Flushing Meadows.

Neither winner has won in three sets, and their clash at the 2021 Australian Open went all the way to the end, while this year’s clash in the United States was decided in four hard-fought sets.

We say: Tsitsipas will win in three sets

After an uneven summer since the loss to Novak Djokovic At the Olympic Games in Paris, Tsitsipas should claim his fourth Laver Cup victory over Kokkinakis, which would in a sense be revenge for his first-round exit from the US Open.

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