Nick Kyrgios is one set away from reaching the US Open quarter-finals for the first time, leading world number one and defending champion Daniil Medvedev 7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3.
That’s despite the Australian making things difficult for himself with a freak brain fade in the third set.
Kyrgios loves to keep things casual, but he was too casual on Monday morning, costing himself a chance in the break against Medvedev.
Kyrgios took the first set against Medvedev before the Russian rallied in the second, although the Australian had a chance to take an early lead in the third.
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Medvedev hit a shot in the air at 30-30 in his second service game and it went wide, until Kyrgios ran awkwardly to the Russian’s side of the court and smashed the ball.
“I’m not sure this is allowed,” Todd Woodbridge said in a comment.
“That’s going to be a problem. You can’t do that. You can’t cross the net. The ball isn’t dead yet. Kyrgios basically leaned in front of the net and that’s an illegal shot.”
It was ruled a free kick and Medvedev held on for what could be a crucial point in the match.
“What an error of judgement,” Woodbridge added.
“That should have been the breaking point. Oh dear. What will be the repercussions of this? I’ve never seen anything like this in all my time in tennis. This is crazy.”
“I can’t believe it,” added Jelena Dokic.
“Honestly, I thought it was legal,” Kyrgios told his team later.
Somehow, Kyrgios only got better after the error and eventually got the first break of the set.
“That mistake he made, that normally would have caught him, but now he’s playing better,” Dokic said.
In the end, Kyrgios played brilliantly to take the third set 6-4, with Woodbridge declaring he had Medvedev “on the ropes”.
Kyrgios only continued to pile the pressure on Medvedev in the fourth, getting the early break.
Kyrgios took advantage of a thrilling first-set tiebreak over Medvedev to open his fourth round before the Russian broke him twice en route to taking the second set 6-3.
It was a very different display from Kyrgios through the first set, where he largely maintained his focus to gain the upper hand after a thrilling tiebreak.
With very little between the two contenders, it was a number of impressive shots from Kyrgios, including a brilliant shot winner, that saw the Australian clear the line 13-11.
“This was a very important psychological victory,” Dokic said.
Medvedev had made an interesting change in the first set.
Usually found far back behind the baseline to return serve, Medvedev had stepped up in the first game against Kyrgios.
“A very noticeable tactical change from Medvedev,” Woodbridge said.
“I’m not sure when is the last time we’ve seen Medvedev come back so close to the baseline,” Dokic said in response.
However, Kyrgios was undeterred, with the Australian hitting two aces in his first service game and nearly breaking the Russian, who was content to hold serve.
Back to Medvedev’s tactical change, however, Woodbridge said it may be a way to try to eliminate one of Kyrgios’ strengths: serve and volley.
“It’s been years since I remember,” Woodbridge said.
“He’s gone, he’s seen how Kyrgios played it in Montreal … going forward, he’s going to take the service volley out of the equation.”
Dokic then asked if it might be a “mind game” by Medvedev, who might go back behind the baseline after a few service games, to which Woodbridge replied: “I suspect so.”
Nick Kyrgios is in action. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFPSSource: AFP
Kyrgios and Medvedev had traded service games until the Australian grabbed a crucial break for 4-2 after the Russian uncharacteristically missed a forehand.
“Normally he doesn’t push that hard,” Dokic said.
“We’ve seen him miss a couple of those forehands. Normally he wouldn’t miss that one, but there’s a lot of pressure from the other side of the court, not looking at Nick’s serve, struggling to read it.
Medvedev, however, raised his game in response to break down after winning a long rally with Kyrgios at 40-30.
The world number one hit a pair of aces in his next service game, while Kyrgios instead sent a backhand into the net, with the Russian’s serve holding.
Kyrgios found himself 30-15 down in his next service game after a strong forehand down the line from Medvedev, but recovered to hold on for 5-4, with the first set seemingly destined for a tiebreaker.
This is how it was played and the tiebreaker did not disappoint, with
Kyrgios found himself facing set point on several occasions, firing a stunning backhand down the line at 6-7 to earn praise from both Woodbridge and Dokic.
“Kyrgios is up to it. That’s impressive,” Woodbridge said.
“That’s brave, how he steps in, a short backswing and redirects it,” Dokic added.
“We talked about those opportunities in the second serve, how you take advantage of them.”
Medvedev showed his class to respond with a thunderous ace to set up the third set point, only for Kyrgios to respond with a stunning ace.
Of course, Medvedev responded with an ace to continue the back-and-forth nature of the tiebreaker – and the match as a whole – before an unforced error gave Kyrgios a match point.
However, he couldn’t capitalize right away, yelling at his box, “I told myself where I can serve.”
Medvedev, however, complained about Kyrgios’ box too loudly, telling the chair umpire: “If they do it again, I won’t play”.
“They can’t do it,” Medvedev said.
“If they do it a second time, I won’t play until someone comes out. I just told you I won’t play if they do it a second time because they can’t do it on my serve.
“They’re in a professional tennis player’s box, they can’t do that with my serve. One more time and I won’t play anymore.”
Daniil Medveded was not impressed with Kyrgios’ draw. (Photo by COREY SIPKIN / AFP) Source: AFP
Kyrgios’ frame couldn’t help him though, the Australian had to do the job and he did it brilliantly.
Even after slamming his racket into the court in frustration after a mistake, Kyrgios responded with an incredible forehand winner and then Medvedev sent a forehand long.
The Australian made the exciting tiebreaker 13-11 after a first set that lasted one hour and two minutes.
Both Dokic and Woodbridge, however, had warned in commentary that Kyrgios needed to refocus quickly, expecting Medvedev to come out and make a statement soon.
And so he did, with the world number one securing the early break to go 2-0 up, although Kyrgios himself was also to blame after double-faulting three times in the match.
The Australian runs the risk of getting loose, sending the ball into the crowd at one point and would have been at risk of disqualification if he had hit a fan.
Medvedev went up a double break and while Kyrgios was able to come back, the world number one kept his cool to take the second set 6-3.
There were, of course, more twists to come, namely Kyrgios’ brain explosion that saw him spoil a shot on break point.
But the Australian held firm to see off Medvedev and go 4-1 up in the third, putting himself in a strong position to regain control of the match.
Woodbridge was sure Kyrgios’ experience playing doubles alongside fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis had played a big part in his success.
“There are two points in a row where without a doubt, in my mind, the double sharpness has helped him,” Woodbridge said.
“His volleys are sharper, they are being saved, the quality of the return has gone up a level. Not just one level. Multiple.”
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