Jack Draper expects hostile Australian Open crowd against Thanasi Kokkinakis

Jack Draper expects a hostile crowd to bring the best out of him at the Australian Open.

The British number one will face home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round at Melbourne Park on Wednesday, with the match scheduled in the night session on John Cain Arena.

Draper scraped through his first-round match against Argentina’s Mariano Navone in five sets, with the rust showing after disrupted preparations because of a hip injury that left him struggling to walk.

“That’s definitely going to bring the best out of me,” he said to the PA news agency ahead of the Kokkinakis clash.

“I think it’s going to be a really good atmosphere. Whether the crowd’s with me or against me, I remember what it was like playing Futures (tournaments) with no one watching. That’s what I play for, to play in front of a lot of people and entertain.”

Kokkinakis played one of the most memorable Australian Open matches of recent years against Andy Murray two years ago, with the Scot somehow clawing his way back from two sets down before winning a near six-hour contest at 4.05am.

Draper has also had close contests against the 28-year-old, although never previously in Australia, but he will not be seeking his countryman’s advice, with Murray concentrating on his new job coaching Novak Djokovic.

“I think Andy’s too focused on Novak but I did watch that match,” said Draper. “I know Thanasi is going to give it his all here in Melbourne. He always brings out great tennis so it’s going to be a really tough match.

“We always have a battle so I’m fully prepared and ready for that. I’m going to have to improve my performance and I think that’s a great chance to do it.”

Question marks also surround the physical condition of Kokkinakis, who withdrew from his home tournament in Adelaide last week and then picked up a leg problem in his first-round match here.

While Murray appears to be off limits, Draper could have a chat with his old friend Jacob Fearnley, who handled one of the most challenging assignments at Melbourne Park with aplomb on his debut by beating Nick Kyrgios.

Draper revealed that, in hot-headed moments at junior tournaments, his parents would ask him why he could not behave more like the calm Fearnley.

“That’s really cool,” said the Scot. “I wasn’t really aware that that was a thing. We had a really good relationship growing up.”

Draper turned professional as a teenager while Fearnley chose to go to college in the United States, but he has wasted no time making his mark since leaving Texas last spring and can break new ground when he takes on unseeded Frenchman Arthur Cazaux on Wednesday.

Draper and Fearnley were two of four British players to win on Monday, with Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart also making it through.

Dart only found out she had been given a place in the draw as a lucky loser a couple of hours before her match against Jana Fett, which she finally won after more than three hours despite cramping and a calf problem.

The 28-year-old will hope to have recovered in time for a clash with 18th seed Donna Vekic.

Burrage has been given central billing in the night session on Rod Laver Arena for her match against third seed Coco Gauff.

Burrage was emotional at the end of her first-round win over Leolia Jeanjean on Monday having considered retirement late last season as she battled to work her way back after wrist and ankle injuries.

The 25-year-old already has experience of some of the sport’s biggest stages having lost heavily to Daria Kasatkina on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2023 before a 6-3 6-2 defeat against Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open.

“What an opportunity,” said Burrage. “I’ll go out and I’ll take it to her and see if I can do some damage.

“I got killed on Centre. When I played Sabalenka, I played so much better because of what happened on Centre Court against Kasatkina.

“Last year I didn’t think I’d be playing these kinds of matches again. So I’m just going to relish the moment and see what happens.”