Stars drop out of Kyrgios’ path after ‘nightmare’

A visibly relieved Nick Kyrgios explained what a “nightmare” it was to face his best mate Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round of the US Open, after overcoming his doubles partner 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

It was the kind of match that the old Kyrgios might have lost. Walking onto an arena on a come down after the high of watching US tennis icon Serena Williams extend her career, and facing an opponent for whom the Canberran only has love, would not that long ago have set the stage for a flop.

This time it was a subdued performance but also a clinical one, with Kyrgios seizing control early and keeping his focus throughout.

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It was yet more evidence of Kyrgios’ maturity, with the Aussie following his incredible run to the Wimbledon final with a show-stopping US hardcourt season that has made him the fourth favourite to win the US Open despite a difficult draw.

Speaking to Brad Gilbert in his on-court interview immediately after the match, Kyrgios was blunt about his feelings when he first saw who he had drawn to kick-off the year’s final grand slam.

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Kyrgios challenged by Kokkinakis match-up

“When we both saw the draw it was a nightmare, honestly,” Kyrgios said.

“We never want to play each other, and he probably beats 80 per cent of the draw tonight, he’s been playing really good.

“I can’t wait to get out there and play doubles with him on the right side of the net.

“We’re going to play each other, hopefully, never again. We’re going to close that.”

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis will take the court together again as the eighth seeds in the doubles draw, with their first round match scheduled for Thursday.

Yet, for Kyrgios there are once again genuine and growing hopes of a serious campaign in the singles, and with the Kokkinakis clash out of the way he can look ahead to a potential fourth round clash with Russian world No.1 Daniil Medvedev.

Kyrgios beat Medvedev as recently as earlier this month in a Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal.

You’d expect a best of five set match against the tournament favourite to be a different ball game but on recent form Kyrgios would go in an even money bet.

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Both players still have plenty of work to do to get to that potential meeting in the second week of the tournament, but already the draw has opened up to an extent for Kyrgios, with his second round opponent, Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, taking care of a dangerous potential match-up for Kyrgios in Ugo Humbert.

Humbert has twice extended Kyrgios to five sets in grand slam matches in recent years, while Bonzi, a 26-year-old ranked 50th in the world, has never made it beyond the second round of a major.

Awaiting Kyrgios if he takes care of Bonzi is the winner of Chile’s world No.71 Alejandro Tabilo and American world No.87 JJ Wolf, who did Kyrgios a huge favour in the first round by eliminating Spanish 16th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

It’s not Kyrgios’ style to put much energy into his opponents, but even the laidback Aussie would see a golden path to a round of 16 blockbuster against Medvedev.

Of Bonzi, Kyrgios had this to say when quizzed on what he knew about the Frenchman in his on-court interview: “Very solid player, having a great season. I’m not even going to think about that, I’m going to go home, have some food and just chill out.”

He can do so without questions relating to on-court controversies ringing in his ears, with Kyrgios avoiding confrontation with the chair umpire and the crowd as he took care of Kokkinakis.

In a match that lacked some of the fizz and pop that has become a trademark of the Kyrgios show, the absence of aggravation is perhaps an upside of the Kokkinakis “nightmare” that will help the Wimbledon finalist save mental energy for the bigger battles to come.

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