Nick Kyrgios

[Razing]

[Lleyton]

Blood, Sweat And Cramps: Kyrgios Defeats Wawrinka In Acapulco Thriller

Spoiler:

Isner to play Millman on Thursday

In a match that started with blood, ended with cramps and was filled with gripping drama for more than two-and-a-half hours, Nick Kyrgios outlasted Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

“I’m extremely tired,” admitted Kyrgios after the match. “I showed great resilience to come out and beat a player like Stan in some tough conditions. I knew I was going to be the underdog and the crowd was going to be in [his] favour, but I served great today...the way I've competed the last two days is massive. I've left it all out there."

Kyrgios evened his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Wawrinka to 3-3. With an identical FedEx ATP Head2Head against Rafael Nadal and a 2-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head over Novak Djokovic, he has earned a reputation for stepping up against the world's best.

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The Aussie continued a remarkable turnaround to his season on Thursday. Coming into this tournament with a 2-3 record and an ATP Ranking that dropped to No. 72, he has defeated two multi-Grand Slam champions in the past 24 hours. Kyrgios overcame food poisoning and saved three match points in a third-set tie-break to defeat Nadal in an Acapulco classic on Wednesday.

“I didn’t pull up so great after the match against Rafa… but I just love playing here. Even though the crowd can get rowdy at times, the atmosphere is amazing," said Kyrgios. "Before this tournament, I wasn't playing very good. I was struggling with injuries. To have two good wins, I feel like the year is going back on track for me."

Kyrgios will now play fellow Aussie John Millman or third seed John Isner of the United States. Kyrgios is 1-1 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head with Millman, but defeated him last week in the opening round of the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com. He's also even at 2-2 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head with Isner, but has won their past two matches.

You May Also Like: Zverev Continues De Minaur Dominance In Acapulco

The match against Wawrinka fittingly started with drama after just three minutes of play. Kyrgios tumbled during the sixth point of the contest and required medical treatment mid-game for a large gash on his right hand.

Both players traded comfortable service holds until the 12th game of the opening set. A forehand sent wide from Wawrinka at 5-6 gave Kyrgios set point and the Aussie made good on the chance by ripping a forehand winner.

Fueled by his win over Nadal, Kyrgios continued to display the level of mental toughness he exhibited in that match. Although he handed Wawrinka a break of serve at 4-4 in the second set with a wild game of unforced errors, Kyrgios immediately regrouped in the next game with a pair of huge forehands to earn the break back.

At 3/3 in the second-set tie-break, a casual serve-and-volley attempt from Kyrgios was met with a swift backhand passing shot winner from Wawrinka. The Swiss star won the next three points to level the match, sealing a backhand winner on set point with a scream and fist pump to the vocal approval of the Centre Court crowd.

It appeared that Kyrgios might unravel midway through the third set. He received a code violation at 2-2, but the contentious moment fueled him. Kyrgios regrouped to earn two break points and cracked a forehand on his second chance for the crucial advantage.

But after more than two hours on court, and three hours of play on Wednesday against Nadal, Kyrgios’ body began to break down. He began to cramp leading 4-2 in the final set against Wawrinka, but found the strength to power through the final stages.

The Swiss bravely saved two match points serving at 3-5, but a forehand winner from Kyrgios in the next game ended the contest after two hours and 31 minutes.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... 9-thursday

[Damian]

Kyrgios Clutch Again: Nick Beats Isner To Set Zverev Final

Spoiler:

Aussie wins second third-set tie-break of the week to reach Acapulco final
Nick Kyrgios backed up his Acapulco wins against top seed Rafael Nadal and former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka with a 7-5, 5-7, 7-6(7) victory against third seed John Isner as Friday evening turned into Saturday morning, reaching the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC.

“It was an amazing, fun match with John today. I was pretty pumped because I knew there wasn’t going to be a lot of running,” said Kyrgios. “He’s a good mate of mine and has always been incredibly supportive. To go out and battle against him was a special moment for me.”

The 23-year-old Australian is into his first ATP Tour final since winning his fourth tour-level title last January in Brisbane. Kyrgios will face reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev on Sunday for his fifth ATP Tour crown.

Two nights after saving three match points in a final-set tie-break against Nadal, Kyrgios once again found a flair for the dramatic against Isner. Despite giving up a mini-break advantage twice in the third-set tie-break, the Aussie converted his third match point with a stick-save drop-shot winner from the baseline to triumph after two hours and 21 minutes, just past 1 a.m. local time.

Awaiting Kyrgios in the championship match is second seed Alexander Zverev, who defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6(0), 6-3 earlier in the day.

“This is going to be an incredibly tough match. He’s an amazing player, very professional, ticks all the boxes,” said Kyrgios. “I grew up playing juniors with him, so I know him very well. It’s going to be a lot of fun.“

Watch Live

Battling Isner, who entered the match with a tournament-leading 75 aces, it was Kyrgios who won in that department, too. The former World No. 13 was broken just once in 18 service games, delivering 25 aces to Isner’s 24 and winning 82 per cent of his first-serve points. Kyrgios began the second set by hitting six aces from eight first serves.

There was little difference between the two players as the midnight oil burned in Mexico. Kyrgios saved two break points from 15/40 in the first set with big serves, while two double faults got Isner in trouble on his serve at 5-5. The American missed an inside-out forehand on Kyrgios’ fourth break chance of the game, allowing the Aussie to serve out the set.

It was much of the same in the second set, with the players appearing destined for a tie-break. But Isner placed several returns deep in the court late in the set, and Kyrgios dumped a backhand into the net to send the pair to a decider.

In four previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings between the two, Kyrgios had won all five of their tie-breaks. The Aussie made it 6-0 with his victory in the deciding-set tie-break. Kyrgios earned a mini-break for 3/1, before Isner swatted away a forehand volley to get back on serve. The Aussie did well to return a big first serve on his first match point at 6/5, but Isner hammered an inside-out forehand for a winner. After Kyrgios earned a second match point, on his own serve at 7/6, the unseeded player hit a down-the-line backhand well wide to give Isner hope.


But Kyrgios hit a big forehand winner to earn a third opportunity to reach the final. And while the 6'10" American scrambled well to hook a running forehand down the line, Kyrgios was able to scoop it up on the short hop, just over the net, and Isner could not get there in time. Isner won three more points than Kyrgios in the match, but the men embraced with smiles on their faces after a well-fought battle.

Kyrgios arrived in Acapulco on a seven-match losing streak against opponents inside the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings. But with his victories against Nadal and Isner, the Aussie is now 17-28 against the elite group. The right-hander is the No. 72 player in the world this week, his lowest standing since he was No. 70 the week of 4 August 2014. But thanks to his performance at this ATP 500 event, he is guaranteed to return to the Top 50 on Monday.

Kyrgios has lost his past two FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings against World No. 3 Zverev, his opponent in the final. But the Aussie once led their series 3-1, with two of his three victories coming in straight sets, and they are now tied at 3-3. The pair’s latest meeting in a tournament came in Beijing two years ago, where Kyrgios defeated Zverev in a 78-minute semi-final.

Did You Know?
Kyrgios has now won five consecutive final-set tie-breaks, while Isner has lost three of his past four.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... 2019-final

[Lucas]

[Razing]

[Lucas]

Kyrgios: 'I Need To Be More Disciplined'

Spoiler:

Aussie hints at big changes ahead after Acapulco title
The potential of Nick Kyrgios has long been undeniable. After defeating three Top 10 players and a three-time Grand Slam champion in Stan Wawrinka to win the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, it’s even more apparent Kyrgios has the game to crack the Top 10 — and beyond — of the ATP Rankings.

But does the Aussie see himself as a Top 10 player?

“I went jet skiing at 5:30 p.m. (before playing Alexander Zverev in the final), so I don’t think that’s what a Top 10 player would do,” said Kyrgios.

Although his pre-match preparation wasn't conventional, clinching the title in Acapulco appeared to spark a shift in thinking. If he can beat two Top 3 players in the same week, while going jet skiing hours before a championship match, what could he do if he fully applied himself?

“I’m very lucky to be in this position. I need to be way more disciplined, way better professionally and do the right things,” said Kyrgios. “I don’t even have a coach, so maybe I start there.”

You May Also Like: Kyrgios Completes Dream Week With Acapulco Title
Even before his latest realisation, Kyrgios’ mental shift throughout the week wasn’t lost on fans in Acapulco. At times, they weren’t shy to voice their displeasure. But in Saturday’s final against Zverev, the Centre Court crowd chanted his name and loudly applauded his eye-raising winners.

It was an experience that Kyrgios won’t forget anytime soon.

“The crowd created the atmosphere every day. It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in. They were booing me and I still enjoyed playing and being here,” said Kyrgios. “They created the emotions, the memories, the event. It was amazing.”

Kyrgios feeds off the energy around him more than most players and his success in Acapulco will only create positive vibes as he heads to the BNP Paribas Open. With minimal ATP Rankings points to defend for the next three months, he’s in a prime position to continue his feel-good comeback of 2019.

“It’s hopefully an example for people who are struggling and getting in some places you don’t think you can get out of. If I can do it, you can do it,” said Kyrgios. “I was really down and out and didn’t know what I was going to do, but you have a week like this and things can change.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... 9-reaction

[Lleyton]

Nick Kyrgios chce iść za ciosem po sukcesie w Acapulco. "Muszę być bardziej zdyscyplinowany"

Spoiler:

Nick Kyrgios bardzo chciałby kontynuować dobrą passę po zwycięstwie w turnieju ATP World Tour 500 na kortach twardych w Acapulco. Australijczyk ma świadomość, że czeka go jeszcze sporo pracy, jeśli chce znaleźć się w elicie.
Rafał Smoliński
Rafał Smoliński
03 Marca 2019, 16:10
REKLAMA
Getty Images / Hector Vivas / Na zdjęciu: Nick Kyrgios, triumfator Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2019

ATP Acapulco: srebrna grucha dla Nicka Kyrgiosa. Alexander Zverev triumfował z bratem w deblu

W otwartych mistrzostwach Meksyku Nick Kyrgios pokonał trzech tenisistów z aktualnego Top 10 rankingu ATP oraz Stana Wawrinkę. W sobotnim finale zwyciężył 6:3, 6:4 trzeciego na świecie Niemca Alexandera Zvereva. - O godz. 17:30 [finał był grany o godz. 21:00 czasu lokalnego - przyp. red.] poszedłem na narty wodne. Nie wiem, czy tak zachowałby się zawodnik z pierwszej dziesiątki - wyznał Australijczyk, gdy został zapytany o to, czy widzi siebie w elitarnym gronie.

Kyrgios wywalczył 500 punktów do rankingu ATP i dzięki temu awansuje w poniedziałek na 31. miejsce. 23-latek z Canberry bardzo chciałby pójść za ciosem i poprawić swoją pozycję w światowej klasyfikacji. - Muszę być bardziej zdyscyplinowany, działać profesjonalnie i robić właściwe rzeczy. Nie mam nawet trenera, więc może powinienem zacząć od tego - wyznał.

REKLAMA

Australijczyk musiał w ostatnich dniach zmagać się nie tylko z rywalami, ale także problemami zdrowotnymi i różnymi reakcjami fanów. - Publiczność tworzyła atmosferę każdego dnia. To był najlepszy klimat na trybunach, w jakim kiedykolwiek grałem. Buczeli na mnie, a ja ciągle cieszyłem się i pozostawałem w grze. Kibice stworzyli emocje, wspomnienia i turniej. To było niesamowite - stwierdził tenisista.

Kyrgios narzekał także w ostatnim czasie na problemy mentalne. Teraz pokazał, że można się podnieść i odnosić sukcesy. - Mam nadzieję, że będzie to przykład dla ludzi, którzy zmagają się z różnymi trudnościami. Jeśli mnie się udało, to może się udać także tobie. Byłem już naprawdę bardzo nisko i nie wiedziałem, co zamierzam dalej robić. Przyszedł jednak taki tydzień i wiele rzeczy uległo zmianie - zakończył pięciokrotny triumfator imprez głównego cyklu.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/80821 ... iej-zdyscy

[COA]

#5) Acapulco 2019


Firstpost

R1 Andreas Seppi (ITA) 63 75
R2 [1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) 36 76(2) 76(6)
QF Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 75 67(3) 64
SF [3] John Isner (USA) 75 57 76(7)
W [2] Alexander Zverev (GER) 63 64

[Damian]

[COA]

[Lleyton]

Nick of Time: Nick Kyrgios went 10-10 in his past 20 matches entering the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC last week, where he saved three match points against Nadal and earned three Top-10 wins for the Acapulco title. Kyrgios could meet Djokovic in the third round after beating him in Acapulco and Indian Wells two years ago.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/indian- ... ing-report

[arti]

[Damian]

Kyrgios Reveals Biggest Regret While Inspiring Youngsters

Spoiler:

Cilic, Tsitsipas and Schwartzman join Q&A during Miami Unites Day
Nick Kyrgios’ biggest regret as a youngster? “I wish I listened to my parents when I was your age,” the Australian confessed to elementary school students at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Tuesday. “That’s my biggest regret.”
Kyrgios participated in a Q&A session with students about overcoming adversity and being a positive force in the community along with Kei Nishikori, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Marin Cilic, Diego Schwartzman, Nicolas Jarry and Petra Kvitova. The World No. 33, whose foundation in Victoria, Australia, serves underprivileged youth, also spoke about the sacrifice required to make it as a pro tennis player.
“When I was 14, my parents told me I could no longer play basketball and still to this day it breaks my heart. It was one of the toughest challenges to give that up [to focus on tennis]. I love basketball.”
Fifty fourth and fifth-grade students from Hollywood Park Elementary School, who are highly active participants in UNICEF’s Kid Power initiative that promotes acts of kindness, got to meet the players. They were joined by 12 tennis team members from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the South Florida school rocked by a mass shooting just over one year ago.
World No. 10 Tsitsipas told the students that overcoming financial hardship was one of the biggest obstacles he overcame early in his career.
“Greece was suffering economically during the period that I grew up, so it was not easy to pursue my dream,” he said. “Those circumstances held me back, but I was lucky that I had people in my family who helped to make my dream possible. It was also difficult for me to not see my family very much when I did begin to travel for my tennis. I was lucky that I had my dad to travel with me, but I missed my mother, my siblings and my grandparents.”
You May Also Like: Zverev Adopts Puppy: ‘Love At First Sight’
Nishikori spoke about overcoming the hardship of leaving Japan for the United States to train at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
“I moved at a young age and I was really homesick in the beginning. It was a different culture, I didn’t know anyone and I couldn’t speak English,” he said. “But I dedicated myself to practice – from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. – and I found a way to enjoy it."
Cilic told the kids that “we all share a similar story about going through struggles to reach our full potential. I had to move from my family to a bigger city. It made me stronger and more responsible knowing what I wanted to do. There were many tough moments, but my family always supported me. Because of the tough moments, I am a better person and I appreciate the life I now have more. Believe in yourself, work hard and you can achieve your goals.”
Main draw play at the Miami Open presented by Itau, being played for the first year at Hard Rock Stadium, begins Wednesday.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... s-day-2019

[Barty]

[arti]

Facing off Friday at the Miami Open against Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, the Australian said his game plan was to show some rarely seen restraint and let the 21-year-old light up the highlights reel while he walked away with a 7-5, 6-3 win.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... ver-bublik

[Damian]

Miami19: 95. wygrany mecz na kortach twardych.

[27] Nick Kyrgios d. [Q] Alexander Bublik 7-5 6-3

[Lucas]

[arti]

[Lleyton]

Nick At Night: Kyrgios Cruises To Round Of 16

Spoiler:

Aussie moves into fourth round in Miami for fourth straight year

Nick Kyrgios pulled out all the tricks in his bag on Sunday at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The Aussie was entertaining and efficient in securing a 6-3, 6-1 win over Dusan Lajovic under the lights on Stadium court.

Kyrgios gave the Miami faithful their money's worth, producing underarm serves, no-look volleys, scorching forehands and a rolling, spirited conversation with a fan, who was ultimately ejected for his part in the first-set exchange. He ousted Lajovic in just 57 minutes, firing 25 winners, including seven off his forehand wing.

Exactly one year after the Aussie and the Serbian first met on the ATP Tour, Kyrgios replicated his straight-set victory from the 2018 first round. He now leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head 2-0.

"I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring on the tennis court, but I'm going out there and having fun," said Kyrgios. "I served well and returned well and I'm really happy. Today it was a pretty good all-around performance."

Kyrgios looked to be on the ropes as proceedings got underway on Sunday night, with Lajovic earning three break points in the first game. But the Canberra native was clutch in the big moments, denying all three with aces.

Three games later, Kyrgios had a break of his own, taking an early lead and consolidating for 4-1 with an underarm serve - an ace and his first of two successful underarm serves in the match. The magic would continue in the next game, as he punched a no-look volley into the open court.

Kyrgios would streak to 6-3 and refused to look back, breaking twice in the second set before securing the victory on his first match point. He dominated points under five shots throughout the affair, to the tune of 48-23.

Miami has become a happy hunting ground for the World No. 33, who advances to the fourth round for a fourth straight year. A semi-finalist in both 2016 and 2017, he also reached the Round of 16 last year, before falling to Alexander Zverev.

The recent champion at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco, Kyrgios is in the midst of a 7-1 run and will be pushing for a Top 30 return in the ATP Rankings. Coming up next is a blockbuster Tuesday date with Borna Coric.

"Borna is an unbelievable competitor and one of the best players in the world," Kyrgios added. "He knows how to win matches and is an unbelievable athlete. He moves incredibly well and I know he won't give me a single point. I'm not going to think about it right now though. I have a day off tomorrow."

Coric completed the last match of the day on Sunday, rallying past Jeremy Chardy 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 36 minutes.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/kyrgios ... 019-sunday

[Żilu]