Kyrgios Edges Past Tsonga In Front Of Home Crowd

January 19, 2018 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff

 

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios fed off of the energy of his home crowd inside Rod Laver Arena on Friday, knocking off former finalist and 15th seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(5) to book his spot in the fourth-round.

In all, Tsonga actually won more total points throughout the match than Kyrgios, but the Aussie was better in the big points, including the final two tiebreakers. He saved a set point in the third-set tiebreaker and fought back from 2-5 down in the fourth-set tiebreaker to win the match.

“Tsonga is a great guy, a champion of the game, someone I looked up to as a kid,” said Kyrgios. “I am just happy to get through.”

His win sets up an intriguing matchup with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, who barreled his way into the final 16 with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Andrey Rublev.

“These are the most important matches for me, when things are not working and I’m able to find a way. That’s just it,” said Dimitrov, who is now into the Australian Open fourth round for a fourth straight year. “I’m just pleased that I won the match.”

World number one Rafael Nadal continued his blistering start in the Australian heat with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I’m happy to be through to the fourth round. I needed hours of court, hours of playing sets with different players. That’s what I did,” said Nadal. “I think I had a good preparation here. I felt myself playing well. Here I am in the fourth round—that’s because I am doing the right things. Let’s see how far I can go.”

Nadal takes on Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman next. The 24th seed came back from a set down to beat Alexandr Dolgpolov 6-7(1), 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.

There is just one American man remaining in the men’s singles draw after Ryan Harrison saw his run in Melbourne come to an end. Former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic moved past Harrison 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4) on Friday, leaving just Tennys Sandgren as the lone American left on the men’s side.

Cilic will square off against 10th seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta for a spot in the quarterfinals. The other fourth round matchup set up on Friday will see Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund take on Italy’s Andreas Seppi. 

 

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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