US Open: Nick Kyrgios wins duel against doubles partner, Stefanos Tsitsipas is surprisingly eliminated

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Nick Kyrgios didn't concede a break against Thanasi Kokkinakis

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SHANNON STAPLETON / REUTERS

Australian tennis pro Nick Kyrgios has advanced to the second round of the US Open.

To do this, the Wimbledon finalist had to play his compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis, his partner in the doubles competition at the Grand Slam tournament in New York City, in his opening match.

Without giving up an opening game, Kyrgios won 6: 3, 6: 4, 7: 6 (7: 4).

"It was probably one of the most uncomfortable matches I've played in my career," said the 27-year-old: "I really tried not to look at him at all.

I felt like that helped me somehow.«

With Kokkinakis, Kyrgios won the doubles title at the Australian Open this year.

"There are maybe two or three players I'll keep in touch with after tennis until I die," he said. "Thanasi is one of them.

It's just very hard.«

The duel with his friend may have been difficult, but a winning streak continued for Kyrgios.

Since his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, which he lost to Novak Djoković, the Australian has won the title in Washington and reached the quarterfinals in Montreal.

Kyrgios is currently 18th in the world rankings - the sometimes controversial professional has never been higher.

His next opponent at the US Open is Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.

Co-favorite is already out

For two other top players it's already over after the first round.

The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, number four on the seed list, surprisingly lost to Daniel Elahi Galán from Colombia.

Tsitsipas experienced a debacle against the number 94 in the world, especially in the first two sets, in the end he lost 0: 6, 1: 6, 6: 3, 5: 7.

For the 24-year-old, it's the worst Grand Slam performance this year.

In January he was still in the semifinals of the Australian Open, since then things have been going downhill.

At the French Open he failed in the fourth round, at Wimbledon in the third match.

Now Tsitsipas didn't even survive the first round.

Less surprising was the failure of Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open winner. In the first round, the Austrian had to play against Pablo Carreño Busta, who is seeded in twelfth place.

Thiem lost to the Spaniard 5: 7, 1: 6, 7: 5, 3: 6.

After a long injury break, Thiem is still unable to build on his previous form.

Two years ago, the 28-year-old was still number three in the world, today he is outside the top 200.

Medvedev and Murray with no problems

Defending champion Daniil Medvedev (Russia) did not face difficulties entering the tournament.

The 26-year-old defeated the American Stefan Kozlov 6: 2, 6: 4, 6: 0.

"The conditions weren't easy, it's very warm and the humidity is high," he said after the match: "I tried to play really solidly and I think I succeeded."

Medvedev, who was not allowed to start at Wimbledon due to sanctions against Russia, is one of the title candidates again this year alongside 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.

Last year, the Muscovite celebrated his greatest success to date with a final win against Novak Djoković.

The Serb is missing this year: Because he is not vaccinated against the corona virus, he was not allowed to enter the USA.

Andy Murray had already won in New York City in 2012 and ten years later also had a convincing opening win.

The 35-year-old Brit beat 24th-placed Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3, 6-3.

"I played well in the important moments," Murray said with satisfaction.

Qualifier Wu Yibing wrote Chinese history: With his three-set win on Monday against Nikoloz Basilashvili (6: 3, 6: 4, 6: 0), the 22-year-old was the first Chinese to win a game at the US Open in the professional era .

The last time a male tennis player from China was able to win a Grand Slam game was 63 years ago (Mei Fu Chi in Wimbledon).

Wu had already triumphed at the US Open in 2017 in the juniors in singles and doubles.

Still, his win against No. 31 seed Basilashvili comes as a surprise.

Wu, who only made it into the top 200 in the world rankings in July, will meet Portuguese Nuno Borges in the second round.

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