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It wasn’t easy, but Australian Open champions Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have won a hard-fought first-round double match.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal’s tough start to the US Open has continued, with the game’s greatest slam winner losing the first set to Italian Fabio Fognini.
Nadal was broken twice, as he lost the first set 6-2.
In the doubles, the Australian pair won a hard-fought match against Frenchman Hugo Gaston and Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who claimed the first set.
But the Australian duo responded well, taking an early break and eventually going on to claim the second set 6-3.
The match was on serve early in the third set, before tensions reached boiling point midway through the third.
Moments after Kokkinakis threw his racquet, Kyrgios responded one game later by slamming his twice into the court. The second throw completed the job, with one young spectator being given Kyrgios’ racquet in a typical redemption moment for the volatile Australian, who was described as “volcanic” in his behaviour.
But the Australians broke midway through the third set and never looked back, sealing a 6-4 win in the third to take the match 4-6, 3-6, 4-6.
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The clash comes after Kyrgios, the Wimbledon runner-up, defeated Kokkinakis in straight sets to knock his Australian Open champion doubles partner out earlier in the week. The Australian has since progressed through to the third-round after a four-set win over Benjamin Bonzi.
The volatile No.23 seed described the prospect of facing his compatriot in the opening round of the US Open as a “nightmare”.
“When we both saw the draw, it was a nightmare honestly. We never want to play each other,” Kyrgios said.
“I can’t wait to get out there and play doubles with him on the right side of the net in a couple of days.
“We’re going to play each other again, hopefully never again.”
RAFA BEING PUSHED
For the second straight match Rafael Nadal is being pushed.
Two days after dropped a set to Australian Rinky Hijikata, Nadal once again lost the opening set to Fognini 6-2.
But the Spaniard has once again responded, coming from 4-2 down to take the second set 4-6.
The match has been a topsy turvy affair, with holding serve proving extremely difficult.
Nadal was broken five times in his opening seven service games.
YOUNG GUN MARCHES ON
Meanwhile, Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz dug deep to save 13 of 14 break points and reach the US Open last 32 on Thursday.
But the world No.4 was far too good for Federico Coria, winning in straight sets.
The 2021 quarter-finalist went through 6-2, 6-1, 7-5 on the back of 46 winners and will next face Jenson Brooksby of the United States.
It was the 46th victory of the year for the 19-year-old, tying him with Stefanos Tsitsipas for the best stretch.
The highlight of the match came when Alcaraz produced a “filthy” between the legs shot, which left the crowd in shock.
“I am playing really well, I go for it,” said Alcaraz as he explained his all-out policy of attack.
“I’m happy to have the most wins this year but I look forward to staying the same player and same person.”
Brooksby, the world number 43 who reached the last 16 in 2021, made the third round by beating recent Cincinnati champion Borna Coric.
AUSSIES DUMPED OUT
James Duckworth might have paid for his wedding, but whether his first-round victory earlier in the week pays for his honeymoon remains to be seen.
The 30-year-old lost his second round match against Brit Dan Evans in four sets, losing 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6.
It came after Duckworth revealed that his fiancee had shot off a message to him following his six-figure opening round victory.
“My fiancee text me after the match and said ‘Well done, you’ve paid for the wedding,’” he recounted.
Meanwhile, his Australian compatriot Alexei Popyrin went down in three hard-fought sets to Argentine Diego Schwartzman 7-6, 7-5, 7-6.
FORMER CHAMP KNOCKED OUT
World number one Iga Swiatek cruised into the third round with a comfortable straight sets win over former champion Sloane Stephens.
Swiatek, who has never gone further than the fourth round in three previous appearances in New York, was in control throughout a 6-3, 6-2 win on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
The 21-year-old from Poland will face American Lauren Davis for a place in the last 16.
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