Nick Kyrgios’s hopes a US Open doubles title is over, but his chances of maiden singles grand slam just got better after an historic loss for Rafael Nadal.
Less than 24 hours after downing world No.1 Daniil Medvedev to reach the singles quarterfinals, Kyrgios returned to team with Thanasi Kokkinakis for a 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (10-8) loss to Brit Lloyd Glasspool and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara.
The Australian Open champions had been riding a nine-match grand slam winning streak but blew two match points in the second-set tiebreaker and then an 8-6 advantage in the deciding super tiebreak.
Rafael Nadal’s 22-match winning streak at grand slam tournaments came to an end with a 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 loss to Frances Tiafoe
Nadal’s loss makes this the first US Open without either of the top two seeded men reaching the quarters since 2000, when No.1 Andre Agassi exited in the second round and No.2 Gustavo Kuerten in the first.
Australian tennis great and Channel Nine commentator Todd Woodbridge said 22-times major champion Nadal’s loss significantly opened the field for the remaining men’s players.
“What a moment. Listen to the crowd go absolutely crazy. With the departure of Rafa Nadal, this tournament opens up incredibly. Opportunities galore for the rest of the field now,” he said.
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Kyrgios, meanwhile, will switch all his focus to the singles after his doubles loss.
The Wimbledon finalist’s defeat of Medvedev and Nadal’s exit has left Kyrgios him as a US title favourite.
He plays Russian Karen Khachanov on Wednesday morning for a semi-final berth.
Nadal won the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. Then made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon in July before withdrawing from that tournament because of a torn abdominal muscle.
The 36-year-old competed only once in the six weeks between leaving the All England Club and arriving in New York while recovering from that injury. His play has not been up to his usual standards at the US Open, which he has won four times.
“Well done for him,” the Spaniard said.
“He was better than me … At the end that’s it.”
Tiafoe, the 24-year-old who is seeded 22nd at Flushing Meadows, reached the second major quarter-final of his career after a final-eight appearance at the 2019 Australian Open.
“I don’t even know what to say right now. I’m beyond happy. I can’t believe it,” Tiafoe said.
“He’s one of the greatest of all time. I played unbelievable tennis today, but I don’t even know what happened.”
Tiafoe will face ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the last eight after the Russian scored a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory over seventh-seeded Brit Cameron Norrie.
-with AAP
