Nick Kyrgios clapped a hand over his mouth. Kyrgios is not easily shocked, but shocked he was. The poor kid he had accidentally cleaned up with a smash travelling around 200kmh was pretty stunned too. The young boy, sat a few rows from the front, winced. The umpire took the unusual step of climbing down from her chair and asking his mother if he was OK.
No one really knew what to do, which was astonishing in itself given the raucous scenes at this doubles match and every other Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have played at this Australian Open. Eventually Kyrgios shook himself conscious and jogged over to his bag, pulled out a fresh racket and ran it over to the boy. He smiled. Everyone else in Kia Arena wanted to get hit with a ball and go home with a souvenir.
