Nick Kyrgios makes last 16 of Australian Open while Rafael Nadal cruises through
Kyrgios keeps home hopes alive while world No 1 Rafael Nadal sets up meeting with Diego Schwartzman
Thursday 24 May 2018 14:25, UK
Nick Kyrgios set up a mouth-watering fourth-round clash against Grigor Dimitrov after digging deep to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The home favourite had to win three tie-breaks against the Frenchman on his way to a 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) victory.
Trailing 5-2 in the final tie-breaker, Kyrgios won the last five points to beat the 2008 finalist who appeared to struggle with a knee problem.
He will now play Dimitrov who survived a tricky test in fierce heat against feisty young Russian Andrey Rublev to go through.
"It was amazing," said Kyrgios. "I'd never won a match on this court. Playing Jo I was obviously very nervous. He was a guy I looked up to as a kid, still do, he's a champion of the game.
"I was getting prepared for a fifth set. I just stayed composed, tried to make returns and fired it through. I've got doubles tomorrow and then I've got a tough match against [Grigor] Dimitrov."
World No 3 Dimitrov held on for a gutsy 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-4 win which was far from plain sailing on Rod Laver Arena against the 30th seed who knocked him out of last year's US Open in straight sets.
Dimitrov, a semi-finalist last year, said: "These are the most important matches for me, when certain things are not working for me and I find a way.
"He's a good player. He beat me at the US Open so I knew what to expect and what I had to do.
"The heat didn't scare me at all today, that's fine. I just needed to stay calm and composed, go with the flow."
Top-seed Rafael Nadal looked in ominous form as he stormed past Damir Dzumhur 6-1 6-3 6-1 in one hour 50 minutes to reach the last 16 in Melbourne for the 11th time.
"Here I am. I am in the fourth round. That's because I am doing the right things. Let's see how far I can go," said Nadal, who is chasing his second Melbourne title after beating Roger Federer in 2009.
The Spanish left-hander will play Diego Schwartzman, who beat Alexandr Dolgopolov in four sets, for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
