Kyrgios stuns world No 1 Medvedev to reach US Open quarters

New York — Nick Kyrgios crushed world No 1 Daniil Medvedev’s dreams of a title defence at the US Open on Sunday with a 7-6 (11) 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory to reach the quarterfinals and ensure there will be a new top-ranked player when the tournament concludes.

In a meeting worthy of a Broadway show between two of the game’s biggest servers and most combustible personalities, it was the fiery Australian who was the better in the match’s biggest moments, showing off a renewed focus and fitness.

“It was an amazing match,” Kyrgios said in an on-court interview before a sold-out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Daniil is the defending champion so there’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but I played really well. I’ve been playing amazing the last couple months and what a place to do it, at a packed house in New York.”

Kyrgios delights in shunning the norms of tennis and did so again in a bizarre moment early in the third set when he ran around the net to hit a ball that Medvedev had sent high in the air, leading Kyrgios to celebrate enthusiastically. The play cost Kyrgios the point but seemed to raise his spirits as he would break for 3-1 and take the set with a perfectly executed drop shot.

In the fourth, Kyrgios again broke early for a 2-1 lead he would not relinquish and Medvedev began to crumble from there, hitting balls against the back wall in frustration as the match grew further out of reach.

“I still can’t believe the boneheaded play I made over here,” Kyrgios said of the play where he crossed over to Medvedev’s side. “I thought that was legal to be honest. That’s going to be everywhere on SportsCenter so I’m going to look like an idiot but that’s all right.”

Medvedev, who dropped to 1-4 lifetime against Kyrgios, tipped his hat to him after the match and admitted to struggling in the stifling heat and humidity.

“I felt my throat a bit today,” he said. “I think that physically maybe that played a bit of a role. At the same time it’s not an excuse at all because Nick played good.”

Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios is playing the best tennis of his life, recording the most wins on tour since the end of the French Open and his quarterfinals entry marks his best results at the Grand Slam tournament in Queens.

The 23rd-seeded Kyrgios will be a heavy favourite when he plays another Russian, 27th seed Karen Khachanov, on Tuesday.

Italian Matteo Berrettini reached his second consecutive US Open quarterfinal by winning a marathon battle with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3-6 7-6(2) 6-3 4-6 6-2 after the Spaniard suffered an injury in the final set.

The 13th seed had lost to Davidovich Fokina on clay in Monte Carlo in 2021 but found the right formula on New York’s hard courts, sending down 17 aces, firing 48 winners to 27 from his opponent and saving nine of 13 break points.

US teenager Coco Gauff used her superior speed to overcome a second set deficit and pull off a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over China’s Zhang Shuai to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

In a battle between the youngest player left in the draw, the 18-year-old Gauff, and the oldest, the 33-year-old Zhang, it was the Chinese player who looked sharper at the outset, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the first set. But 12th seed Gauff fought back and fired a two-handed backhand winner to claim the first set and electrify the supportive crowd.

Zhang, a human backboard content to extend rallies from the baseline, grabbed a 5-3 lead when she broke Gauff with a backhand winner of her own in the second set. But Gauff remained poised, breaking back to take a 6-5 lead and winning the point of the match with her astonishing speed when she slid from corner to corner to elicit the error from Zhang.

The crowd roared in approval and Zhang covered her ears to block out the sound, which was amplified by the closed roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium due to rain.

Gauff sealed the nearly two-hour affair on an error by Zhang and the two exchanged a warm hug at the net.

Next up for Gauff is Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, who beat American Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-4 6-1 earlier on Sunday. 

Reuters