In good Nick: Australian Nick Kyrgios after beating Ivo Karlovic. Photo: AP
If you asked Tennis Australia to nominate a fourth-round encounter that would fill both the centre court and guarantee millions of eyeballs, it would be a match-up between Nick Kyrgios and Roger Federer, the most flamboyant of the new Australian breed versus the game’s greatest monument.
That match-up is more than a mere possibility as a result of Kyrgios’s continued surge. On the same day he was fined $4500 for misbehaving on court, the confident 19-year-old progressed to the third round by cutting down the imposing 23rd seed Ivo Karlovic, 7-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 on a rapturous showcourt three.
That this wasn’t much of an upset is a measure of Kyrgios’ vast talent, and the considerable weaponry he owns compared with virtually any other teenager. It was a performance that built upon – and exceeded for quality – the youngster’s tough five setter in the opening round.
To reach a date with Federer, Kyrgios will have to negotiate his third round opponent Malek Jaziri, ranked 75. On form, he’d be favoured. Federer, of course, would have to keep his part of the deal and dispatch Andreas Seppi. Tennis Australia and more particularly Channel Seven will be hoping for what would be easily the most hyped match of the Open to date.
Kyrgios said he didn’t usually look ahead in the draw, “but it’s hard when social media these days when guys are saying Kyrgios, Federer fourth round when the draw just came out. It’s hard not to…but I think especially for me, this tournament I wasn’t looking too far ahead.”
Kyrgios’ on court demeanour has been criticised – either subtly or overtly – by Australian tennis greats Pat Rafter and Fred Stolle, and on Wednesday he was fined an aggregate of $4500 for “racquet abuse” and “audible obscenity” from his first rounder.
But there were no tantrums or emotional upheaval in his defeat of 211cm Karlovic. No racquets were smashed by Kyrgios this time. There was no need. In what was a composed and controlled display, the Aussie prodigy contradicted his youth and his volatile image. He appeared to heed Rafter’s advice to tone it down, answering criticism of his temperament.
Post-match, Kyrgios described his relationship with Rafter as “pretty good, as far as I know. We got pretty close in Perth…I think it’s good…He only wants to see the best out of us guys.”
The exuberant Australian also demonstrated that he has more game – certainly a greater diversity of shots and athletic traits – than Karlovic, who is seeded 23 and can out-serve anyone, but whose serve faltered at critical moments.
Kyrgios said he felt “really confident” after defeating Karlovic. “With that serve, he can obviously beat a lot of players,. I think he beat Djokovic a couple of weeks ago. I knew he was going to be tough. That gives me massive confidence.”
Kyrgios tends to blow opponents off the court, and what was noteworthy about this performance was that he won with the steadier game – without less winners, yet far fewer errors (13 to 33) than Karlovic. More to the point, he won the crucial points and showed few jitters in potential white-knuckle moments.
None of the points were as important as those that enabled the Aussie to take the first set tiebreak (7-4). To this point, points won against serve had been precious. Kyrgios got the mini-break in the tiebreak when Karlovic – whose lesser mobility was exposed somewhat – sent a half-baked backhand approach shot wide to create a set point.
Improbably, Karlovic then double faulted to hand the Aussie the first set. The momentum was sufficient for Kyrgios to break Ivo in the opening game of the second set and, in a Serve-Off like this, that was enough to secure the second set, 6-4.
Kyrgios was broken just once, in the decisive game of the third set, when Karlovic claimed the set 7-5. The kid, though, wasn’t flustered. He would again win the telling points, aided by some ill-timed double faults by the Croatian. A break in the fifth game sufficed. The teen served it out.
When we might have expected an extravagant celebration from Kyrgios, he merely went down on bended knee – as if making a marriage proposal – and then calmly shook hands with the towering Ivo.
Whether he meets Federer or not, Kyrgios confirmed that he can rise to the occasion. And, from this day forth, all matches involving Kyrgios here are big occasions.
source:watoday.com.au
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 