Kyrgios Wins Tense Clash Against Tsitsipas At Wimbledon

Nick Kyrgios advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time since 2016 on Saturday with a feisty 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) victory against fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Kyrgios, who will next play #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima, took a 4-1 ATP Head2Head series lead against Tsitsipas and now owns 25 wins against Top 10 opponents (25-39). The 27-year-old will try to reach his third major quarter-final and his first since the 2015 Australian Open.

“Honestly it was a hell of an atmosphere, amazing match. I honestly felt like the favourite coming in. I played him a couple weeks ago. But I knew that it was going to be a tough match,” Kyrgios said in his on-court interview. “He’s a hell of a player. I had my own tactics out there and he knows how to play me, he’s beaten me once. Obviously I’ve had success. It was a hell of a match.”

The tension began to build at the end of the first set following a linesperson’s out call on the baseline. For the rest of the match, Kyrgios had constant discussions with the chair umpire, the crowd and his player’s box. But ultimately, he emerged victorious after three hours and 16 minutes.

“I’m just super happy to be through. He was getting frustrated at times and it’s a frustrating sport, that’s for sure,” Kyrgios said. “I have the ultimate respect for him. Whatever happens on the court [is] on the court. I love him and I’m close with his brother.”

Tsitsipas was the more solid player in the first-set tie-break, as Kyrgios let his lack of concentration affect his play. That continued into the second set, with Kyrgios losing his focus and spending much of his time voicing his displeasure between points and during changeovers.

The Australian later received an audible obscenity warning after another linesperson made a report to the chair umpire. But through it all, Kyrgios managed to remain in touch with the fourth seed on the scoreboard, largely thanks to his big serving. He did not lose his serve in the match, saving all five break points he faced.

Kyrgios saved a break point at 4-4 in the second set thanks to a daring second-serve ace. Then suddenly, he claimed the second set when a Tsitsipas overhead, which the Greek did not strike cleanly, allowed Kyrgios to punch a forehand into the open court for a winner.

In a sign of his frustration, as the players walked towards their chairs, Tsitsipas jabbed a backhand low into the crowd, barely missing fans with the ball.

While the dialogue continued during the third set, Tsitsipas lost concentration and his game began to falter, which allowed Kyrgios to surge ahead with a break at 2-1 behind a forehand winner. Later in the set, Kyrgios hit an underarm serve. Tsitsipas reached the ball, but hit with great force into netting behind the court, for which he received a point penalty.

The 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion appeared to aim shots in the direction of the Australian. On the other side of the court, Kyrgios continued to talk between points and curtsied to the crowd at 5-3 in the third set following a winning drop shot. After hitting a crisp backhand volley winner to claim the set on the next point, he made a “money” motion with his hand in praise of his own work.

The chatter began to taper off as the fourth set went on. Then at 4-4, the roof on No. 1 Court was closed due to darkness.

It all led to a critical fourth-set tie-break. The Australian let slip his first match point at 6/5 by missing an inside-out forehand wide, and he then saved a Tsitsipas set point at 6/7, which would have forced a decider. But another key forehand drop shot finished the job for Kyrgios.

Less than a month ago, Kyrgios also defeated the Greek in Halle. The six-time ATP Tour titlist is now 10-2 this grass-court season, having also reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart and Halle. The Australian made his first big splash on the ATP Tour at Wimbledon in 2014, when as a 19-year-old he defeated Rafael Nadal en route to the quarter-finals.

Did You Know?
This was Kyrgios’ first Top 10 win at a major since he defeated then-World No. 8 Milos Raonic in the third round of Wimbledon in 2015.