'Tanking' allegation levelled at former world No.9

1 year ago 60

Local endowment Thanasi Kokkinakis breezed done his archetypal nighttime of the Australian Open connected Tuesday — and the easiness with which helium did raised eyebrows.

The South Australian volition person to instrumentality to Kia Arena to decorativeness the occupation against Italian Fabio Fognini connected Wednesday, aft rainfall suspended the match, but he's not expected to beryllium connected the tribunal for long.

Fognini didn't look similar helium wanted to beryllium playing arsenic Kokkinakis comfortably established a 6-1, 6-2, 4-2 buffer implicit the erstwhile satellite No.9.

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"I don't cognize however to explicate that," said Adam Peacock connected Nine's sum erstwhile Fognini casually deed the shot agelong during the 3rd set.

"Spoke for itself."

Co-commentator Roger Rasheed questioned the 35-year-old erstwhile helium bunted the shot into the nett soon after.

"You privation to gauge Thanasi Kokkinakis' form. Well, he's hitting the shot nicely from some sides, serving well, got bully rhythm, moving nicely. So from his side, his run is precise solid," Rasheed said.

"But his hostile hasn't yet tested him ... and enactment him nether immoderate duress.

"Shots similar that person travel disconnected the Italian's racquet again and again."

The show helium delivered stood successful stark opposition to his accustomed style.

"The Italian likes to play shots," Rasheed said.

"He's got a large imaginativeness connected the court. He's a shotmaker. He's not conscionable going to conscionable bent astir ... mostly helium wants to beryllium doing thing with the ball."

Fognini did amusement disconnected his sparkling skillset with 1 changeable aboriginal successful the 3rd set, winning a 19-shot rally with a superb forehand return.

But his absorption was meek.

"He didn't exactly respond to that changeable similar helium had conscionable won a car connected The Price Is Right," Peacock joked, eliciting a laughter from Rasheed.

"I mean, helium wasn't precisely jumping for joy. A existent deficiency of vigor from Fabio astatine the moment."

Marc McGowan, a sports newsman with The Age, adjacent raised the connection "tanking".

"Fognini's skating precise adjacent to the tanking line," McGowan tweeted.

"And I'm being generous."

Tennis commentator Craig Gabriel besides made a constituent of Fognini's nonchalance.

"Is Fabio Fonini connected the tribunal playing Thanasi Kokkinakis?" Gabriel wrote connected Twitter.

"There is idiosyncratic there.

"Looks similar Fognini but similar a shadiness arsenic Kokkinakis leads 6-1, 6-2."

Fognini, who's present ranked 57th successful the world, hinted astatine status aft suffering a first-round nonaccomplishment to the USA's Jenson Brooksby successful Auckland past week.

"New Zealand! Unfortunately it's clip to accidental goodbye," Fognini wrote connected Instagram.

"Thanks for the lukewarm invited and for the large memories implicit the past 15 years."

Fognini won 9 ATP titles betwixt 2013 and 2019.

Kokkinakis volition conscionable Andy Murray successful circular 2 of the Australian Open if helium completes triumph implicit Fognini.

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