Tomic in the hunt for clash with Nick

CONCEDING it’s impossible to escape the hype, Bernard Tomic is relishing the prospect of a high-stakes US Open showdown with Nick Kyrgios.

A year after saving match point to deny Lleyton Hewitt in a five-set classic at Flushing Meadows, Tomic and Kyrgios — jousting for Australia’s top ranking — are slated to clash in the third round of the season’s final major.

“It could be an amazing match,” Tomic said ahead of his testing opener with Damir Dzumhur, the Bosnian he beat in four tough sets in the first round last year.

“We’ve practised so many times in our life and the last year and played many, many practice sets — but never in a match. So for me it could be a really good opportunity. It’s an opportunity for one of us to take a fourth-round spot and, who knows, do some damage in this tournament.

“But it’s up to Nick and I to create this opportunity first.”

February’s Davis Cup feud firmly in the past, Tomic and Kyrgios have duelled not only on the tennis court this week.

“Me and Nick are very good friends. We are going to play basketball now with Gael (Monfils) and a few others,” Tomic said. “We’re very close. I respect him as a tennis player and what he’s achieved so far and I’m sure he respects me.”

Tomic’s triumph over Hewitt, in the first all-Australian men’s match-up in New York in more than 10 years, ended the former champion and world No.1’s US Open career.

It also thrust Tomic on to a path to the world’s top 20 for the first time and now the 23year-old is hoping a first-time run to the second week in the Big Apple can lead to further milestones.

“I’ve been in the top 20 for the last year and it’s been going well, everything, but to get to the top 10, top five is a different level now,” Tomic said.