London, July 3 (BUS): Australian dissident Nick Kyrgios knocked out fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in Wimbledon in the third round of Wimbledon, which threatened to spiral out of control.
The 27-year-old Kyrgios put in a great tennis game to win 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7), but the match will be remembered mainly as one of the most unfortunate matches at Wimbledon. Since the days of American bad boy John McEnroe, according to Reuters.
The much-anticipated Court One match was the most exciting in town, even with Rafa Nadal playing on the center court.
It did not disappoint either, as sparkling tennis produced 118 clean wins and chaos as both players lost their heads and received warnings.
With the lights on and the atmosphere deafening, it was unseeded Kyrgios who emerged from the chaos with one of his best Grand Slam victories, edging out the fourth-set tiebreaker after saving a set point.
Kyrgios declared victory with a falling shot and will enter the last 16 for the fourth time, the first since 2016, with serious ambitions for the title.
Next in his eyes is the unclassified American Brandon Nakashima.
For most of the high-octane first set, it was the quality of tennis from both players that dominated.
Kyrgios was a regular swing but lost his temper with referee Damien Domusois after a call-up was voided at 5-5 in the first set where he threatened to break.
Tsitsipas remained focused on winning the tiebreak and had a great opportunity to dominate the match with a 4-4 lead in the second set when he let Kyrgios lead 40-0 with two missed shots, but saved a break point with an ace.
Both players received warnings
The fireworks really started in the next game.
Kyrgios was first warned about an audible indecency after the direct judge reported it, then responded by breaking Tsitsipas’ serve and stealing the second set after the Greek failed to clear the knockout with a court hole.
Tsitsipas ran, hit a ball that narrowly missed a fan’s head and received a warning.
Kyrgios stated that Tsitsipas should have defaulted, called the ruling a “disgrace” and demanded to speak to the supervisor.
“Give me all the supervisors. I don’t play until we get to the end of it,” Kyrgios said angrily as Tsitsipas went for a toilet break. Upon his return, the Greek booed for becoming the unwitting villain of Kyrgios’ pantomime.
Tsitsipas shook his serve early in the third set, then received a penalty for firing a powerful blow from Kyrgios’s underarm serve – the ball hit the scoreboard.
With his blood boiling, Tsitsipas smashed from close range straight onto Kyrgios in the next match, missing him and the field as the atmosphere turned toxic. Then he made another run, this time hitting a direct backhand at Kyrgios.
Served impressively, Kyrgios finished the third set with a superb, involuntary shot.
Kyrgios, who was fined $10,000 for a fan after his first-round win, earned three break points in the first game of game four, but, as if there wasn’t already enough drama, slid awkwardly and grumpily as he grabbed his hip.
Tsitsipas was clear of trouble and with no ill effects on Kyrios the temperature dropped slightly.
Kyrgios fired a daring forehand to earn break points 3-3 but Tsitsipas held his ground and thrust into a challenge.
With the gloom falling, Tsitsipas had 0-40 in the next game, but Kyrgios made his way out of trouble before a short break to close the roof and turn on the lights – giving the crowd a welcome breath of fresh air.
On appeal, Kyrgios saved one point with the winner with a powerful backhandkick and another in the tiebreak with an audacious half-volley.
Another shot got the job done on match point two and Kyrgios celebrated hard, before a brief handshake at the net three hours and 17 minutes into the sports scene.