Kyrgios Wins On ATP Tour Return At Murray River Open
Nick Kyrios worked hard on his ATP Tour return Tuesday at the Murray River Open. The Australian breathed a huge sigh of relief after overcoming the incredible fight of France’s Alexander Muller in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over one hour and 52 minutes in Melbourne.
Kyrgios, who hadn’t played a tournament since the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in February last year, struck 22 aces among 34 winners.
“When I lost the first set I never really panicked,” said Kyrgios, who will next challenge fellow Australian Harry Bourchier in the second round. “I was actually just still finding my feet honestly. I actually thought I was serving reasonably well. I wasn’t serving anywhere near my best. I wasn’t playing anywhere near my best. But I thought my attitude was okay. I kept that pretty calm.
“I’m actually happy the way I dealt with it and I just drew from experience. I was nice to myself. I was like, ‘Look, you lost a set, your first set back and you’re playing a guy who has nothing to lose really’. He came out swinging. I actually think that he would have beaten a fair few guys in the draw today. All around, [I] just believed, really.”
[WATCH LIVE 3]Muller capitalised on Kyrgios hitting a double fault at 3-4 in the 23-minute opener. But Kyrgios raised his game in the second set, rushing Muller into errors. While Kygrios called for on-court treatment of a left knee injury, the 25-year-old held firm in the deciding set tie-break, when he saw Muller recover from a 1/4 deficit. The match ended when Muller hit a backhand into the net.
Two others Australians, James Duckworth and Alexei Popyrin, also reached the second round of the ATP 250 tournament in Melbourne. Duckworth won 26 of 30 first-service points in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Czech Tomas Machac and now faces seventh-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert.
Popyrin saved six match points in his 6-7(8), 7-6(2), 7-6(7) victory over Borna Gojo of Croatia. Popyrin failed to convert one set point at 6/7 in the first set tie-break, saved four match points on serve at 4-5 in the second set and another two at 5/6 and 6/7 in the deciding set tie-break. The 21-year-old now faces American No. 15 seed Tommy Paul.
“I think when the first three came along, it was three in a row… on my serve,” said Popyrin. “I was just taking it one point at a time, trying to get my first serve in, trying to hit a big first serve and get a good opportunity to finish the point as quick as possible, because I knew when I would get in a rally I didn’t feel quite as comfortable today. I think the conditions were also quite hard. It was quite windy so rally, so it was important to get those first serves in and all the match points, and that’s what I did.”