Thanasi Kokkinakis has blitzed his way into the round of 64 at the BNP Paribas Open with a barnstorming straight-sets victory over American Brandon Holt.

The Australian delivered nine aces in the 6-4 6-1 win, using his serve to maximum effect.

Kokkinakis won all of his points on first serve while forcing 10 break-point opportunities, four of which he converted.

Holt couldn’t mustre a single break point against the dominant and determined world No.94, who had to go through qualifying to get into the event.

However, the 26-year-old from Adelaide will need to be at his best in the next round where he takes on No.1 seed Carlos Alcaraz.

Aleksander Vukic was also in action but the Australian qualifier couldn’t go past three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka.

Wawrinka made a successful return to the tournament after four years away with a 6-4 1-6 6-1 victory.

The 37-year-old Wawrinka, who has been ranked as high as No.3 and is now No.100 after a series of operations to his left foot and left knee, hit 10 aces and won 28 of 33 first-serve points.

His previous match at the hard-court tournament in the California desert was a loss to Swiss Davis Cup teammate Roger Federer in the third round in 2019.

Wawrinka, the runner-up to Federer at Indian Wells in 2017, now faces No. 26 seed Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round at the first Masters 1000 tournament of the season.

In other results, Jack Draper overwhelmed qualifier Leandro Riedi 6-1 6-1 to set up an all-British matchup against No.24 Dan Evans while Mackenzie McDonald defeated Filip Krajinovic 6-3 6-0.

Source: AAP