TALENTED BUT TORMENTED AUSSIE NICK KYRGIOS LOSES TO TOMAS BERDYCH AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Written by: Staff on 22nd January 2016

TALENTED BUT TORMENTED AUSSIE NICK KYRGIOS LOSES TO TOMAS BERDYCH AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

epa05112786 Nick Kyrgios of Australia gestures during his second round match against Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2016. EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Tomas Berdych is through to the fourth round at the Australian Open for the sixth year in a row after fending off a fightback from Nick Kyrgios to prevail 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session on Rod Laver Arena.

The Czech looked set for a routine victory as he chalked up the first two sets with a single service break in each. Home favourite Kyrgios, watched from his box by Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt and teammate Thanasi Kokkinakis, hit back strongly in the third set, though. The Canberra native made just four unforced errors and made 86 per cent of his first serves as he clawed his way back into the match.

Kyrgios could not extend Berdych to a decider. The 20 year old held from 15/40 in the sixth game, but found himself three match points down serving at 0/40 4-5. He saved the first, but a double fault on the second handed victory to Berdych in two hours and 27 minutes.

“He’s very dangerous for the top guys,” said Berdych. “He can play really some big tennis. He can be very dangerous. You really have to play a good game, have a good effort. That’s what I did today. That’s his game, that’s his style.

“He’s a great player. He just took advantage of that [in the third set]. It was just a couple of points that on one side it was just close in, the other one was close out. All of a sudden the gap just become huge in the score.

“But I didn’t feel that way, that it’s going so fast. So that’s all right. I mean, he can play well. He can play big. But I just refocused myself and then played well again in the fourth set.”

Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic serves the ball to Nick Kyrgios of Australia during their third round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2016. EPA/FILIP SINGER

The 30-year-old Berdych was a semi-finalist for the second time at Melbourne Park last year, falling to Andy Murray. He also reached the final four in 2014, losing to Stan Wawrinka. The Czech has reached one Grand Slam final in his career, finishing runner-up to Rafael Nadal at 2010 Wimbledon.

Reflecting on the loss, Kyrgios, who was a quarter-finalist in Melbourne last year, said, “I’m so disappointed, like I put so much work in, and I just feel like I let a lot of people down. I was expecting a bit more out of myself. I was expecting like another real deep run. I put a lot of work in. It’s pretty heartbreaking.

“I knew I would have to play some of my best tennis to win. I knew I wasn’t the favourite, but I definitely felt like I should have won. I just put a lot of pressure on myself. It’s a good experience as well. I know what I have to do now to get better.”

For a place in the quarter-finals, Berdych will face Roberto Bautista-Agut, who upset 12thseed Marin Cilic 6-4, 7-6(5), 7-5. Bautista Agut is on an eight-match winning streak, coming into the Australian Open on the back of his third ATP World Tour title in Auckland (d. Sock). The Spaniard is bidding to reach his first major quarter-final and has a 2-3 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Berdych.

“I played a good match today and raised my level from the earlier rounds,” said Bautista Agut. “The pressure has gone after winning the first two rounds. I’m very happy for the victory and my level of play.

“It’s almost impossible for me to start better than this. I’m playing well, with intensity, and I’ve already had victories against good players that last year I might have lost to.”

( Courtesy of the ATP and Original Link – http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/berdych-bautista-agut-2016-australian-open-friday )

Topics: 2016 Australian Open, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Lleyton Hewitt, Marin Cilic, Melbourne, Men's tennis, Nick Kyrgios, Rafa Nadal, Roberto Bautista Agut, Rod Laver Arena, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis News, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Tomas Berdych