Dominic Thiem came back and vanquished the fired-up Nick Kyrgios in a five-set classic at the Australian Open. The baying crowd was sent back with disappointment on Friday night before a five-day lockdown in Melbourne.
In Kyrgios’s favorite John Cain Arena, U.S. Open champion Thiem showed a thrilling 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 win, over the Australian showman to reach the fourth round.
“That first match against Nick here on his favorite court with an amazing crowd, there are easier things to do,” said the Austrian third seed, Mr. Thiem.
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“There’s no doubt he (Thiem) is mega tight. Mega nervous,” commentator Jim Courier said on Nine.
Thiem got just 48 per cent of his first serves in during the opening set. Starting of the match was not going as per him and he was facing some trouble there.
“That first match against Nick here on his favourite court with an amazing crowd, there are easier things to do,” said Thiem. “That’s one of the tougher challenges we have in our sport, you never know what’s coming.
“I was fighting myself in the match but after the US Open nothing’s impossible. That match showed me giving up is never an option.
“I always prefer playing in front of a crowd, even if they are not for me. They are obviously for the local hero, there’s nothing wrong with that.
“I prefer that to playing in an empty stadium. Tonight was epic and a good last match before lockdown.”
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“I took 13 months away from the game and to produce that level and go toe to toe with one of the best players in the world, I’m pretty proud. I left it all out there.” said Kyrgios.
This is the second time Kyrgios has lost a match at the Australian Open from two sets up, following his five-set defeat to Andreas Seppi in the second round in 2017.
Thiem will face Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round, for a quarter-final spot.
