Kyrgios Pleased Hard Yards Are Paying Off

Roger Federer continues to soar in 2017 but he was pushed to his absolute limits in another pulsating battle with Nick Kyrgios. The fourth seed edged a three-hour 7-6(9), 6-7(9), 7-6(5) semi-final thriller under the lights at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Friday night.

For Kyrgios it was another absorbing display of aggression, raw power and captivating shot-making against one the top ranked players. The Australian saved two match points, narrowly missing out on the final, and is buoyed by putting on a show for the fans.

“It was a tough match. I wasn’t expecting less, to be honest,” said Kyrgios. “He’s obviously the crowd favourite anywhere he plays obviously with what he’s done for the game. But I thought I was responding well to the crowd.

“I created enough opportunities to win that match. I felt like it was on my racquet most of the time. He was playing great. I showed a lot of fight, I thought I competed for every point and ultimately, I think I put in a good performance. I thought the crowd would’ve enjoyed watching it, people at home would’ve enjoyed watching it.”

The duo have played only tie-break sets. Their previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open in 2015 produced a similar scoreline, with Kyrgios saving two match points to take a 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(12) victory. The World No. 16 paid tribute to Federer’s first-strike game style after another finely poised contest.

“It was very, very, very similar (to Madrid) obviously. We haven’t played a set that hasn’t gone 7-6. He’s just so good, his serve and first shot are I think by far the best on tour,” stated Kyrgios. “I’ve played all the Top 4, a lot of the top guys, and his first two shots, it’s so hard to do anything against.

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“You feel like you’re making a return, and then he’s right on it and hits a winner. You don’t get that much rhythm. He’s a great player.”

The 21 year old believes his work ethic on and off court has boosted his recent results. In March, he reached the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open, withdrawing through illness, and has continued that impressive form at Crandon Park.

“I think I’ve made an effort to try and put in the work every day. It hasn’t been easy,” said Kyrgios. “I’ve got a great team with me. Every day we’re on the practice court trying to have fun, trying to put in.

“My draw was incredibly tough this week. I thought Karlovic third round, I could have lost there. Playing Goffin then Zverev and then Federer, maybe if I played a couple of easier rounds I could have got over the line today. Who knows?

“I feel like my level of tennis has always been high, but mentally I’m competing for every point. That’s making the difference. I need to keep putting that in every day. I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m 16 in the world. There are 15 players better than me.”