After intense moments, Nick Kyrgios’ ugly side reared its head once more during the engrossing five-set quarterfinal match of the US Open.
Kyrgios suffered a 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 defeat to Russia’s Karen Khachanov in a back-and-forth match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, bringing an end to the Australian’s remarkable performance at Flushing Meadows.
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In the quarterfinals, Khachanov demonstrated his parity in the crucial instances, but the 27-year-old astounded the tennis community earlier in the week by overpowering World No.1 Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round.
Khachanov and Kyrgios hit more than 60 aces between them in the crucial match, securing the fifth and third sets to break the points and secure victory in the No. 31 World Russian match.
With the score tied at 30-30, as the Russian promptly took advantage of his only opportunity to win the match, his opponent’s backhand grazed the net and landed in, causing Kyrgios’ heart to surely sink when Khachanov prepared to serve for the victory.
Kyrgios was devastated and couldn’t contain his emotions after smashing both of his racquets in front of the crowd, without acknowledging the court or shaking hands with Khachanov following the match.
Fans on social media simply couldn’t believe the outburst, which could be heard in the background as Khachanov celebrated on the focused cameras broadcast.
Although Kyrgios did not progress to the semi-final of the US Open, his remarkable display overshadowed an otherwise unsightly incident.
There was minimal empathy for Kyrgios on the internet, with numerous individuals arguing that there was no necessity for the emotional outburst.
Some characterized the unsightly scenes as ‘repulsive’ and ‘humiliating’.
Previously, his aspiration was doubted following the eruption displayed his strong determination to emerge victorious, and others stood up for the Australian superstar.
Nick Kyrgios loses in thrilling five-set US Open quarterfinal
The in-form Wimbledon finalist looked subdued from the outset, possibly the hangover effect from his electrifying victory over Medvedev two nights earlier.
Maybe because he was burdened with a troublesome injury. Alternatively, it might be that he was fatigued from a challenging and successful American hard-court journey.
Whatever the reason, Kyrgios lacked his usual energy and paid the price for starting slow, playing catch-up for most of the night.
The machine appeared to be going through the motions throughout the first set, as the excitement seemed inevitable towards the two power servers headed towards a tiebreaker.
Kyrgios dropped the serve with a nonchalant volley that enabled Khachanov to lob the routine play, and then followed it up with a double-fault at 5-6.
Kyrgios promptly called for a medical break, informing the trainer that he experienced a sudden discomfort in his upper left calf muscle.
I really don’t want to do it. I don’t really want to play this shit. I don’t want to do it: he seemed to be losing his stomach for a fight, but he resumed playing.
However, unexpectedly, he managed to break Khachanov in the third game of the second set, reinvigorating his competitive spirit.
While Kyrgios barely shifted gears, he continued to serve his holding, setting up the match square and second nab.
After tying the crucial third set at 4-4, the Wimbledon runner-up finally celebrated with enthusiasm towards his supporters, displaying growing indications of vitality, with a strong pair of aces.
He appeared superior, overpowering Khachanov from the backcourt and encouraging the spectators to support him in achieving a crucial break.
He promptly received a violation code for breaking a racquet in disgust, and as a result, his chances of winning the next two games failed to convert.
Failing to seize the opportunity, the impulsive individual activated the self-destruct mechanism and ultimately found themselves at a disadvantage with a double set point of 15-40 in the subsequent game.
Khachanov only managed to secure the first set by serving a sitter frame on the next point, before the Australian fired three unreturnable shots to momentarily escape peril.
Despite his repeated frustrations and lack of vocal encouragement from his team, Kyrgios was unable to prevent losing the second game from a 15-40 deficit.
Kyrgios repeatedly shouted at his entourage after receiving another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing a water bottle into the court. It is embarrassing that he doesn’t even know what a point break is.
After getting comfortable, Kyrgios gave hope for a comeback when he grabbed the fourth set in a tiebreaker.
Despite carrying an impressive career record of 11-3 in matches, Kyrgios dropped the serve in the first game, eventually bowing out and never recovering, ultimately deciding the outcome.