Kyrgios braves cramps to down Wawrinka
ACAPULCO: A focused Nick Kyr-gios overcame a hand injury, leg cramps and a strong performance from Stan W aw rink a to prevail 7-5,6-7(3),6-4 and advance to the semi-finals of the Acapulco International on Thursday.
The mercurial Australian, who defeated Rafa Nadal the night before in a match where the Spaniard later critic is ed Kyrgios’ o n-court demeanor, outplayed Wawrinka in the match’ s biggest moments despite playing in front of spectators who vocally backed the Swiss.
“I actually play better when the crowd is against me and giving me a bit of stink,” the 23-yearold said. “I love it. It gets me going.” The night did not begin well for the hard-hitting Kyrgios, who slipped while thumping a backhand in the first game, opening up a cut on his right hand that required medical attention. Leg cramps followed in the deciding set but nothing could derail Kyrgios, who won his final service game at love to keep his hope sofa maiden championship at the tournament alive. “In the first game I just tripped over. I’m not the smoothest mover on tour and I tripped over and grazed my hand,” he said. “And the cramping was tough toward the end.”
Next up for Kyrgios is bigserving American John Isner, who fired 38 aces to dispatch Australian John Millman 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-6(4) in a marathon match.
OSAKA HIRES JENKINS
LOS ANGELES: World No 1 Naomi Osaka welcomed US coach Jermaine Jenkins to her team on Thursday, just in time for her title defence at Indian Wells next week. “Had a great dinner with the team,” Japan’s US and Australian Open champion said. “Also taking this moment to thank Jermaine for joining us and coming on board lol.”
SOUSA, JAZIRI LOSE
SAOPAULO: Top seeded Joao Sousa of Portugal and second seeded Malek Jaziri of Tunisia dropped out of the Brazil Open on Thursday.
Norway’s Casper Ruud beat Sousa 6-3, 6-4 and Serbia’s Laslo Djere outlasted Jaziri 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(2) in the quarter-finals of the clay court tournament.
In the semi-finals, Ruud will face Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien and Djere will play Canadian teen Felix Auger-Aliassime. Dellien beat seventh seeded Juan Ignacio Londero of Argentina 6-4, 7-6(3) and the 18-year-old Auger-Aliassime topped Spain’s Albert Ramos Vinolas 7-6(2), 7-6(5).
FEDERER IN SEMIS
DUBAI: Roger Federer is two matches away from his 100th career title after beating Marton Fucsovics7-6(6), 6-4onThursday to reach the Dubai Championships semi-finals.
Federer faced twoset points in the tiebreaker but Fucsovics hit two forehands into the net to let the Swiss star take control. Federer then wasted an early break in the second set but broke again for a 5-4 lead before serving out the match when Fucsovics sent a forehand return wide.
“The tiebreak was tough. I am happy I found a way to get out of that one,” Federer said. “That was an exciting match, to say the least.”
Federer is looking to become the second man in the professional era to reach 100 tour level tournament tiles, joining Jimmy Connors, who won 109. Seven of Federer’s previous 99 triumphs have come in Dubai.
He will next face sixth seeded Borna Coric, who beat Nikolaz Basilashvili 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(1). Coric beat Federer twice last year, including in the Halle final.