8:15AM EST
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Tom Hamilton Senior Writer
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- • Joined ESPN in 2011
• Participated in two Olympic Games, two Rugby World Cup and two British and Irish Lions Tour
• Former Rugby Editor, 2018 Senior Writer
New York – Nick G. Yergos promised he would perform. And against defending champion Daniel Medvedev, the US Open is his stage. He said it took him 27 years of perseverance and readjustment to piece together the four-set dismantling of the world No. 1.
Kyrgios has always had a love-hate relationship with tennis. In all the box office moments and games he brushed off opponents and there were other occasions where he lost his cool, or looked not interested.
But it finally worked, and after reaching the Wimbledon final, Kyrgios is likely to be the favorite for Flushing Meadows. Playing a perfect tennis match is a Sisyphus-esque task, but Kyrgios has reached a level where he’s invincible when he’s locked down.
“I just try not to let people down,” Kyrgios said after beating Medvedev. “I was in this press conference some time ago and I lost in the third round and it was the worst feeling because I had so many expectations. I can finally show it now. I feel like I’ve been working hard. .I have a lot of motivation now.”
It’s all on a par with Medvedev. Afterwards he said to the crowd, “I’m so glad I’m finally able to show my talent to New York. I don’t have too many great trips here.”
They witnessed a 2 Hours and 53 minutes of play featuring the full Kyrgios repertoire: lethal serve, deft backhand cut, rocket forehand, frivolous tap and many moments never seen before in the game.
No wonder Serena was probably the hottest ticket in town after he left. You can’t take your eyes off him. It felt like the crowd was waiting for their next Instagram moment, whether it was a shot from heaven or Kyrgios losing his cool.
During the game, he smashed his racket face down on the ground twice, smashing a loose ball into the back wall inches below the spectator, and was warned that there was a risk Listening to obscene content and arguing with the referee because the scoring clock kept running his hand as he tried to wipe off his sweat.
This behavior may cause the crowd to turn against the player. But instead, the crowd responded with increasing noise every time he waved his arms at the crowded Arthur Ashe Stadium at break point. Medvedev imitated him on stage but didn’t get much response.
An arena resembling a heavyweight boxing crowd throughout the tournament arena – players walk-on, chests for incredible shots or valuable points Echoes, celebrity attention, playlists – Kyrgios is at home.
But this is his home in Australia, which he refers to a lot. Even before this major, he was talking about the win-win situation he found himself in: If he manages to string together wins, great; if he loses, he can go home. He talks about being away for four months and wants to play well here to make his team proud.
The question is, why now? Why, at 27, has Kyrgios suddenly become so good and established a previously elusive consistency? Before this summer, his biggest returns in singles were the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2014 and the Australian Open in 2015. But in the last two months, he lost to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final and knocked out the world No. 1 at the US Open.
Mentally, I’m very selfish,” Kyrgios said. “I think, I feel bad, I don’t want to play. Then I look at the people closest to me and how much I let them down and I don’t want to do that anymore.
“Well, I don’t know, I just wanted to see my career. I was like, I feel like I have a lot more to give to the sport. That’s it. I Just training hard. I’m just keeping my head down. Look, first let’s get in shape, get in better shape. Let’s see how it goes.
“Obviously winning helps. The momentum has always been there. Training is easy. It’s obviously easier to wake up when things are going well.
“I’m really tired of letting people down. I feel like I’m making people proud now. I don’t feel like there are so many negative comments about me. I just want to almost reverse the narrative. Basic That’s it. I just keep feeling down, so sorry for myself. I just want to change that.”
Kyrgios in Australia after reaching the Wimbledon final The court is represented by his lawyer. Kyrgios faces one charge of common assault in relation to the Wimbledon incident in Canberra in January 2021, involving his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari. The case was adjourned to October 4.
He played doubles in Atlanta, won the men’s singles and doubles at the Citi Open, made a quarter in Canada and reached the top 32 in Cincinnati. He maintains the form we saw at Wimbledon – he has the most wins of any player on the tour since the end of the French Open.
In Flushing Meadows, Kyrgios’ U.S. Open began as personally uncomfortable but professionally dominant, beating his best friend With Tanasi Kokinakis, one of the doubles partners. In the second round, against Benjamin Bonzie, he complained to the referee about the smell of marijuana around the pitch and was later fined $7,500 for an unsportsmanlike swindle after cursing and spitting in the direction of his box during the game. His third-round victory was without drama: beat JJ Wolf 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. But his toughest test here so far this year is against Medvedev.
After the victory, Kyrgios said that if Medvedev won the first set, he knew he would lose. But Kyrgios took that 63-minute game in a huge tiebreaker. Medvedev won the second set, but in the third and fourth, Kyrgios later said he felt “free.” The third set included the bizarre incident in the second inning after Medvedev was unable to return a Kyrgios forehand. The ball flew off Medvedev’s racket and stayed on his side of the court, but before it hit the ground, Kyrgios flew around the net and volleyed home.
If he ignores it, then the point falls to Kyrgios, but his actions allow Medvedev to get it. Kyrgios later called it a “stupid game” in his on-court interview. “I think it’s legal,” Kyrgios said. “It’s going to be all over the SportsCenter, so I’m going to [look] like an idiot.”
But when he knocked down an ace at match point, standing was Arthur Ashe in Kyrgios. “I’m not overly celebrating,” he said. “It was only the fourth round. I made it to the quarter-finals. Obviously, beating the No. 1 player in the world at Arthur Ashe Stadium was an amazing experience. But after that I didn’t really like to celebrate because I knew if I Played him nine more times and he probably passed me most of the time.”
Next came Karen Hachano, the big serve in the quarterfinals husband. If he wins, Kyrgios will take another step toward his maiden Grand Slam. He said after his Wimbledon final defeat that if he won that match against Djokovic, he wasn’t sure he would find the motivation to play again. But in New York, he loved the sport again, and it all came together.
“It’s the last big game of the year,” Kyrgios said. “We do realize we’re going home next week. But maybe three more games, and then we’ll never have to play tennis again.”
