Nick Kyrgios of Australia stunned defending champion Daniil Medvedev at the U.S. Open on Sunday with a brilliant performance to reach the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.
The Australian passed the stiff test against the Russian and prevailed 7-6 (11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the gruelling match that lasted for two hours and 53 minutes.
The defending champion overcame an early break drought to push the set to a tie-break, in which he rallied from 3/5 down to earn three set points. On the third of those set points, at 8/7, Kyrgios hit a sly backhand that just cut the singles line.
In the second set, Kyrgios was unable to keep his momentum, though, playing a poor opening service game. Medvedev took full advantage of it as the Australian missed a neutral backhand long to allow his opponent to level the clash.
In the fourth set, the Australian earned an early break again and was determined to hang onto it. Kyrgios broke serve five times in his victory and saved five of the eight break points he faced.
“What a place to do it. Packed house in New York!” ATP.com quoted Kyrgios as saying.
“I want to go all the way. Hopefully, it is possible,” said Kyrgios, whose victory was his third against a World No. 1.
“I just thought I played the right way. I returned unbelievable today. Just thought the third and fourth sets were just so free, I was just having a lot of fun, embracing every moment out on Ashe today. Really proud of that,” Kyrgios said.
“Obviously I felt like I disrupted his rhythm a little bit, didn’t let him kind of get comfy behind the baseline, play his style of tennis. I think that’s what you have to do. But I was overall pretty happy with my performance,” he said.