Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Kyrgios becomes new darling of Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON has a new hero and, of all people, it is Nick Kyrgios, after the incredible sulk transformed himself into the Clown Prince during a hugely entertaining five-set victory over fellow Australian Jordan Thompson on Tuesday (2).

Tennis fans queued early to see Kyrgios, many hoping for fireworks from a player who has the longest rap sheet in the game. But by the time he triumphed 7-6 (4) 3-6 7-6 (10) 0-6 6-1 in an extraordinary contest, they were putty in his hands.


Only once did he lose his cool and belt a ball into the sky while chuntering about a bad call. The rest of the time he was more reminiscent of French maestro Henri Leconte playing an exhibition - both in terms of crowd interaction and shot choice.

"I'm never going to change," Kyrgios told reporters. "I used to be like this when I played under 12s, 14s. I just go out there, have fun, play the game how I want it to be played.

"At the end of the day I know people are going to watch. They can say the way I play isn't right or 'he's classless for the sport', all that sort of stuff. They're probably still going to be there watching."

He must have played 30 drop shots, despite almost every one of them failing to yield a point. He threw in a bewildering array of slices and dices amid more conventional groundstrokes and serves of immense power.

He somehow lost the fourth set to love in 18 minutes - less time than he took to win a marathon 12-10 tie break in the third.

He served a 120 mph ace on the second serve on game point at 5-4 down in the first set. There was the mandatory under-arm serve, a half-court lap of honour after winning a key point in a tie break, repeated collapses to the floor in mock - or perhaps real - exhaustion.

His reward is a mouth-watering second-round clash with Rafa Nadal, the third-seeded Spaniard he has described as "super salty", in a match that will severely test the allegiance of the Wimbledon fans.

They were fully behind Kyrgios on Tuesday, however, almost from the start. There was a hush of expectation when he was called for a foot fault while serving on break point down in the first set - but the explosion did not come.

He recovered to take the set and recognised the good play of his compatriot - "hell of a volley", "great lob" - while losing the second.

Up or down in the match, Kyrgios seemed to be enjoying himself immensely - which appeared to discombobulate his opponent as much as his varied serves, which frequently left him wrong-footed and appealing to the skies for guidance.

The third set tiebreak was a classic, swinging both ways, though with Kyrgios always seemingly on top, which made his fourth set collapse even more inexplicable.

He did not quite "tank" it, as he has so often before, but did not bust a gut either once he had been broken twice.

Kyrgios was re-energised for the fifth, cutting down the high-risk, low-reward drop shots, and really finding his range with his powerful forehand.

It eventually proved too much for Thompson, who has now lost in the first round on all four of his appearances, as Kyrgios eventually ran away with the fifth set.

Eurosport pundit Mats Wilander said he would be a "nightmare opponent" for Nadal, who he beat at Wimbledon in 2014 and is 3-3 in career head-to-head meetings, though the Swede said he still struggled to understand the Australian's mindset.

"He is so talented, has a great service and the shots he has ... so it’s not easy to solve what is going on in his mind during a time like in the fourth set," Wilander said.

"Maybe a second-round match against someone like Rafa is a match he needs.

"You always get the feeling Nick is a good friend in the locker room and the guys love having him around. But they hate playing him because you just don’t know what he is going to do next. Nick obviously wants to win tennis matches, he just does it in a different way."

(Reuters)

More For You

SRH vs DC IPL 2025: The Ultimate Clash Between Hyderabad and Delhi

Both teams are coming off contrasting results in their previous games

Getty

IPL 2025 - SRH vs DC: Thrilling showdown between Hyderabad and Delhi awaits

The 10th match of IPL 2025 will see Delhi Capitals (DC) locking horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30. Both teams are coming off contrasting results in their previous games, and this match promises to be a gripping contest, with several exciting player battles to watch out for.

Match overview

Delhi Capitals are fresh off a thrilling one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants. Chasing a formidable 210, DC's middle-order showed resilience, with Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma forming a crucial 48-run partnership after an early collapse. Vipraj Nigam’s late cameo and Ashutosh’s calm composure at the death saw DC edge out a nail-biting finish with three balls to spare.

Keep ReadingShow less
RR vs CSK

Both teams coming off contrasting starts to their campaigns

Getty

IPL 2025 - RR vs CSK: Rajasthan takes on Chennai in high-stakes battle


The electrifying action of IPL 2025 continues as Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match number 11 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, March 30. With both teams coming off contrasting starts to their campaigns, this clash promises to be a thrilling battle of experience, skill, and determination.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian and American investors delay Hundred deals: report

FILE PHOTO: The Oval Invincibles celebrate after The Hundred Final between Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave at Lord's Cricket Ground on August 18, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)

Indian and American investors delay Hundred deals: report


THE England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has extended the deadline for finalising the £520 million sale of The Hundred franchises after pushback from several prospective owners, particularly the Indian and American investors behind the two London teams.

The eight-week exclusivity window agreed in February has passed without contracts being signed, with negotiations now expected to continue until at least the end of April. While all parties remain committed to completing the deals, several key issues remain unresolved, the Telegraph reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025: RCB crush Chennai as Hazlewood stars

Josh Hazlewood in action during the match against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (ANI Photo)

IPL 2025: RCB crush Chennai as Hazlewood stars

TABLE-TOPPING Royal Challengers Bengaluru thrashed Chennai Super Kings by 50 runs on Friday (28) for a second win in this year's IPL, inspired by a "game-changing" performance from fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.

Chasing 197, Chennai wilted despite a late cameo by veteran MS Dhoni who clubbed 30 runs off 16 balls, batting low down at nine in the order.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025 – GT vs MI: Who Will Secure Their First Win

Both teams eager to secure their maiden win of IPL 2025

Getty

IPL 2025 - GT vs MI: Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians aim for first win

The ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will take place on March 29 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, featuring a highly anticipated clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Both teams will be keen to register their first win of the season after disappointing starts in their respective opening matches. This game is expected to be a closely fought contest, with each side eager to make an early impact in the tournament.

Gujarat Titans: Seeking redemption after high-scoring defeat

Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, began their IPL 2025 campaign with a high-scoring encounter against the Punjab Kings, but unfortunately ended up on the losing side. Despite some positive individual performances, the team was unable to secure a victory, and they will be keen to turn things around against MI.

Keep ReadingShow less