Nick Kyrgios entertained the Australian Open crowd at Melbourne Park on Thursday with an array of exhibition shots including one extraordinary reaction volley at the net which raised the roof.
Home favourite Kyrgios eventually fell to a four-set defeat by Daniil Medvedev, losing 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, but not before putting on a show for the partisan crowd.
At one moment he reacted sharply to a powerful shot at the net to win the point with an on-the-run volley, before charging around the arena in celebration. Kyrgios also pulled off a hot-dog shot through the legs in another point which he went on to win, and produced several powerful winners from the baseline.
It was an impressive performance from the Australian and even more impressive from his Russian opponent, who fought through Kyrgios’s showboating and the passionate home fans to clinch a place in the third round.
Elsewhere Emma Raducanu fell to a three-set defeat by Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic after battling a hand injury, while Andy Murray lost to Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.
