Nick Kyrgios knocks defending champion Daniil Medvedev out of the US Open
Nick Kyrgios produced a performance of impressively controlled aggression to knock defending champion Daniil Medvedev out of the US Open.
The mercurial Australian is through to the last eight and starting to take on the look of a Grand Slam winner.
For the second time this year he beat world No 1 Medvedev, this time 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-2 in two hours and 53 minutes.
Nick Kyrgios knocked defending champion Daniil Medvedev out of the US Open Sunday
For the second time this year the Australian beat the world No. 1, this time 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-2
This was an outstanding display from the Wimbledon finalist, superior in every department as he finally allows his natural shot-making ability to have full rein.
It is like a switch has flicked this summer and he ended it at a canter, firing an ace down the middle.
Kyrgios narrowly got the better of a high quality first set in which he tried to disrupt the Russian’s rhythm by mixing up his speeds.
The Australian failed to hold onto a break of serve but just about held in his nerve in the tiebreak, taking it 13-11 on a fourth set point after saving three, one with a volley that just clipped the line.
Kyrgios narrowly got the better of a high quality first set as disrupted the Russian’s rhythm
Defending champion Medvedev broke Kyrgios’ serve at the start of the second set
However he could not recover from dropping serve at the start of the second.
Kyrgios was just about holding his temperament together, bar the odd racket hurl, but there was a bizarre incident at the start of the start of the third where he missed setting up a break point.
After Medvedev spooned the ball up on his racket Kyrgios ran round the net to put the volley away ceremonially, something forbidden if the ball has not bounced on the other side of the net and spun back.
That failed to distract him and he broke for 3-1 with a backhand return and then held on comfortably enough to take a two sets to one lead.
The fourth was more professional and he now meets another Russian in the hulking 27th seed Karen Khachanov.
After Medvedev spooned the ball up, Kyrgios ran round the net to put the volley away