Jordan Thompson is showing determination as he scored a career-best result at any Grand Slam – after a straight-sets victory over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin on Saturday morning.
The 26-year-old Aussie reached the fourth round of the US Open breaking his opponent six times in a 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Competing against tennis’s giants, Thompson is undeterred he enters the second week of a grand slam for the first time.
Not content with his charge to the fourth round, Thompson can gatecrash the US Open quarter-finals with victory over Croatian Borna Coric on Monday.
He’s an underdog against the 27th seed and knows he can’t match it for height and reach with the sport’s big boppers, but the 182cm high Thompson is backing his focus and resolve to give him a fighting chance of extending his breakout run.
“Just with the way I play, there shouldn’t be any lapses. I’ve got to be relentless with my concentration,” Thompson said.
“Compared to the ATP Tour, I’m pretty small so I’m not going to blast people off the court.
“So concentration can be an asset of mine so I’ve been trying really hard to focus on that.”
What he lacks in height, Thompson more than makes up within conditioning.
The 63rd ranked Australian collects a US$250,000 ($A343,000) payout for a fourth-round appearance which will no doubt help the Aussie overcome the financial burden of not playing during the pandemic.
Thompson will face a tough match next round in fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece or Croatian 27th seed Borna Coric in a tough fourth round – where victory could pocket the Aussie US$425,000 ($A584k).
“My physicality has been really good as well,” the Davis Cup star said after winning eight of the last eight games of his third-round success against Mikhail Kukushkin.
Thompson hasn’t played Coric since losing a three-setter to the Croat in Thailand seven years ago.
Coric is in fine form, taking out Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the last 16.
But it took him five sets and more than four and a half hours to do so.
“He’s a quality player,” Thompson said. “It’s going to be a tough next match, a tough test,” he said.
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