It was supposed to be the turning point tournament but the Australian appears subdued against the Russian and leaves the scene in the quarterfinals
It could and should have been the turning point tournament and instead right at the best, when 8 players arrived in the quarter-finals who have never won a Grand Slam tournament (it is the third time this has happened in the last 20 years after Wimbledon 2003 and US Open 2020), the acrobatic Nick Kyrgios loses a five-set marathon against Russian Karen Khachanov, who instead flies to the first career Grand Slam semifinal overcoming the Australian favorite 7-5 4-6 7-5 6-7 6-4 in 3 hours and 39 minutes of battle.
The key
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In a match largely dominated by the batting turns, he ends up weighing more on Khachanov’s physical strength and solidity than Kyrgios’ intuitions and variety of the game, a little subdued, less explosive than usual and always in pursuit of his rival. . The first games are very fast, practically not played and exchanged very little and in the few points of medium length (5-6 shots) Kyrgios struggles to impose the pace. On 5 all Khachanov warms up the powders, puts in four consecutive aces and in the next game, after having canceled a ball that would lead the Australian to the tie-break, he scores the break: double foul by Kyrgios and then a winning lob by Khachanov who thus secures the first set. Kyrgios calls the physiotherapist to have his knee massaged, then in the third game he raises the level of his tennis just enough for him to break. Kyrgios goes up to 3-1, keeps the advantage, gets to serve for the set at 5-4 and equalizes the set count using the third set point with a winning backhand. The difficult moment of the Russian also lasts at the beginning of the third set, in which he faces two break points that he foils. Then the services return to reign supreme. On 4 all Kyrgios gets two balls to serve for the set, but Khachanov finds an ace and is then pardoned by the forehand shot out of the Australian. After the danger, Khachanov rises 5-4, missing two set points which instead transforms to 6-5. The public is everything to Kyrgios who is in the throes of despair. The Australian reacts, in the fifth game he places the break that lifts him up, but is immediately counter-broken for the 3 all. Kyrgios misses the opportunity to get to serve for the set, Khachanov doesn’t give up and the challenge continues at the tie-break. Here Kyrgios plays a fabulous 5 minutes. He flies 3-0, then 6-1 and finally closes for 7 points to 3 dragging the challenge to the fifth set.
Waste
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It is the decisive set, the first in which the Australian goes to serve first, trying to put pressure on his rival. But Kyrgios spoils this advantage, he breaksk. He still has opportunities to get back into the game, but Khachanov doesn’t let go, he seems fresher and so the Russian gives 3-1. Now his serve returns to affect heavily, on 2-4 Kyrgios is saved from a double break, but he cannot avoid kneeling to the rival who at 5-4 closes at the first match point with the last winning service of the match . For Kyrgios, after the final at Wimbledon, it is a great disappointment, for Khachanov instead it is the first Grand Slam semi-final of his career after losing in the quarterfinals in Paris 2019 against Thiem and in Wimbledon 2021 against Shapovalov. On Friday in the semifinals he will face favorite Casper Ruud who, like Alcaraz, is two wins from becoming world number 1. Today in the afternoon Tiafoe-Rublev and in the night Alcaraz-Sinner. Italy still hopes.
7 September – 08:37
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