KYRGIOS HITS OUT
NICK LOSES COOL — BUT STILL TOO STRONG FOR PLUCKY TASMANIAN
NICK Kyrgios directed a flash of fire towards a familiar target at Melbourne Park last night as he continued his Australian Open preparation with a mixed performance.
After edging Alexandre Muller in a third-set tiebreaker on his return to the court on Tuesday, the Canberran proved too strong for Harry Bourchier 6-2, 7-6 (7) to reach the last 16 of the Murray River Open.
The 25-year-old served particularly well again but was pressed throughout the second set by Bourchier, a Tasmanian who won his first ATP Tour level match this week in Melbourne and held three points to force a deciding set.
As the match tightened, Kyrgios lost his focus and clashed with the umpire over a contentious call.
Issued with a time violation when serving at 5-all, he demanded the supervisor be called to the court in protest at the decision and refused to play on. He claimed his service motion had already started at the time.
“I ain’t f---ing moving,” he told the umpire Nacho Forcadell from his courtside chair.
“It is like you guys do it just to be funny. Do you think you are funny? Why do you do it?
“Good one by you. The tennis is about the umpires? You are an extra in all this.”
Kyrgios had a point. And the supervisor backed him in.
He was not penalised a first serve and will not be fined.
But it can be argued it is unfair to Bourchier, who pleaded with play to continue at a time he was pressing his more experienced compatriot.
A junior peer of Kyrgios, he verbally challenged his rival when play resumed, saying it was a matter that could have been raised afterwards.
It was only Kyrgios’ touch and wizardry that enabled him to close out the match.
The Australian’s next test will be far tougher against Croatia’s world No.25 Borna Coric.
The pair have split their four outings to date, all of them tight affairs and three of them at Masters level.
When it comes to promising performers, Alexei Popyrin carries several of the attributes that saw Kyrgios rise to prominence at a young age.
The 21-year-old, who defeated American Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, is 2cm taller than Kyrgios at 196cm and he also boasts a dynamic serve.
He has reached the third round at the past two Australian Opens, a performance he matched in his sole appearance in New York in 2019, and has also won matches in Paris and at Wimbledon.
The challenge for Popyrin is to become more consistent on the regular tour, for his performances at grand slam level suggest he should be ranked far higher than 114.
“I want to get my ranking up as high (and) as quick as possible and get direct entries into all the slams and then hopefully I can build on my ranking from there. As the tour goes, I go,” he said.
Other Australian winners included Alex Bolt, who had a 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-5 win over Mackenzie McDonald and will now play Stan Wawrinka.
James Duckworth was too strong for world No.31 Ugo Humbert 7-6 (6), 6-4 while Jordan Thompson defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.