Kyrgios hoping to avoid curious bad luck in draw

Aussie motormouth Nick Kyrgios is hoping for some luck in the draw as he spearheads one of Australia’s most promising US Open charges.

In Kyrgios, in- form Bernard Tomic and former women’s champion Samantha Stosur, Australia have three top- 20 seeds in New York for the first time in 35 years.

Crucially, Kyrgios has earned a top- 16 seeding, guaranteeing the 21- year- old 14th seed avoids a topeight rival until at least the quarterfinals.

In a record that not even tennis titans Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer or Rafael June) or Agnieszka Radwanska.

“It’s definitely intriguing,” Roger Federer said about tracking the women vying for No 1. “It’s nice to see this race.”

Federer, who won five of his men’s record 17 Grand Slam titles in New York, will be sitting out the Open for the first time since 1999 as he takes the Nadal could boast, Kyrgios has never lost to an unseeded opponent — let alone a lower- ranked player — at a grand slam.

Frustratingly, though, Kyrgios also has a history of striking the big guns prematurely.

In his 13 majors since making his main- draw debut as an 18- year- old at the 2013 French Open, Kyrgios has lost four times to Murray and twice each to Wimbledon runner- up Milos Raonic and dual grand slam semifinalist Richard Gasquet.

His other five defeats have come against 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic, former grand slam finalists Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer and seeds Tommy Robredo and Benoit Paire. rest of the season off to let his left knee heal.

A year ago, Federer lost the final at Flushing Meadows to Novak Djokovic. In Federer’s mind, the top- ranked Djokovic is the favourite this time, even though No 2 Andy Murray’s summer has been “phenomenal”.

One reason: Federer thinks the

Last year, he lost to Murray in four sets in a horror first- round draw at Flushing Meadows.

“I love Muzza [ Murray] but if I never saw his name near mine in a draw for the rest of my career, I’d be happy,” Kyrgios said.

“I’ve actually had some rotten draws, not just in slams but in general.

“But at the end of the day, you’ve got to beat who is in front of you, which I’ve managed to do a lot of.

“There’s no point complaining about it. It is what it is. But I would definitely welcome some easier draws.”

With two titles and more top- five scalps than anyone apart from Djokovic in 2016, Kyrgios is feeling installation of the new US$ 150 million ($ 205m) roof at the main arena will limit the wind even when it’s open, which will help Djokovic.

Not too long ago, Djokovic appeared to be close to unbeatable no matter the surface or conditions, and a buzz was building about whether he could chase a true Grand Slam. But he good entering the season’s final major.

“Really happy with where I am physically and mentally,” he said.

“I haven’t had the most taxing of American summers, which is a positive and a negative, as I’m fresh but hungry coming in.

“I’ve had a really good training week leading in and now I’m on site, I’ve upped the competitive side of things. So yeah, I’m happy.”

Tomic, fresh off his win over 2014 runner- up Kei Nishikori in Cincinnati, has been seeded 17th, while Stosur is the women’s 16th seed, giving the 2011 winner the same protection in the draw as Kyrgios. exited Wimbledon in the third round, then the Olympics in the first round, while Murray won both those titles.

“Novak, obviously, the last t wo years, really, has played amazing tennis. His consistency — what I’ve done for, like, the last four months, he’s been doing for, like, the whole year,” Murray said.