Kazakhstan’s Kukushkin to face top-seed Wawrinka in Melbourne

MELBOURNE. KAZINFORM – World number 90 Mikhail Kukushkin has propelled into the second round of the ATP Murray River Open with the prize fund of $320,775, Kazinform reports.

In the first-round match Kukushkin stunned world number 81 Juan Ignacio Londero from Argentina in three sets.

The match lasted for 2 hours 18 minutes during which Kukushkin hit seven aces. His opponent fired four aces and made four double faults. Kazakhstani lost the first set 4-6, but quickly recovered dominating in the last two 7-5, 6-2.

This was the first encounter for Kukushkin and Londero on court.

In the second-round match Kukushkin is set to face top-seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland. The two met four times in 2010 and 2014 taking their head-to-head rivalry to 2:2.