Kyrgios Remains Perfect In 2018, Now For Tsonga

Twelve months ago, on Hisense Arena, Nick Kyrgios lost a two-sets-to-love lead to succumb 10-8 in the fifth set to Andreas Seppi in the second round. On Wednesday, there was to be no repeat of that bitter disappointment at the Australian Open.

Kyrgios overcame Serbia’s Viktor Troicki, on the same stadium court, in a performance typical of the Australian’s great start to the 2018 season, which includes his fourth ATP World Tour crown at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp (d. Harrison).

The 22-year-old Kyrgios failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the third set, but came through a big-hitting encounter 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(2) in two hours and 12 minutes.

Kyrgios sets up a third-round test against 2008 finalist and No. 15 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, who earlier in the day rallied from a 2-5 deficit in the fifth set to defeat #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov. Tsonga beat Kyrgios in their lone FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting at the 2017 Open 13 Marseille.

Kyrgios, the No. 17 seed, overcame nerves at the end when he failed to convert one match point at 5-4, with Troicki serving at 30/40 in the third set. Subsequently broken in the next game, Kyrgios managed to re-group in the tie-break to win six of the first seven points.

At 1/4 in the tie-break, Troicki mis-hit a return which struck chair umpire James Keothavong in the head. Drawing a smile from Keothavong, the umpire, much to the delight of the capacity crowd, announced, “It’s not my day, is it?”

Kyrgios finished with a backhand, one of 38 winners – including 17 aces – to remain unbeaten this year (6-0 record). Troicki had been attempting to record his 50th match win at a Grand Slam championship.