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Friday Nov 15, 2024
Wednesday, 16 January 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
MELBOURNE, AFP: Canadian Milos Raonic unleashed a “scary” display of ruthless serving to break the hearts of home fans and dismantle an ailing Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 on Tuesday.
The Canadian 16th seed blasted into the second round of the Australian Open in 1hr 56min, dropping just 11 points on his own serve against a forlorn Kyrgios, who needed treatment several times on a taped up knee.
“When I got to 3-3, it just flared up,” a dejected Kyrgios told the physio during a break at the end of the first set.
“Every time I rock back on my serve I feel it. I did an extended warm-up, I warmed up properly. I don’t understand,” he complained.
Raonic said he didn’t want to comment about his hampered opponent’s troubles after producing a near flawless exhibition of precision and power serving.
“I don’t want to say too much. It always comes down to a few points here and there,” said the former world number three who now faces the 2014 Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in a blockbuster second-round clash on Thursday. “It’s always tough against Nick anyways. Now it’s on to the next one.”
Kyrgios refused to blame the knee after the match.
“It was nothing to do with my loss. He was way too good for me,” he said. “I’ve never seen serving as good as that. Milos played scary.”
It is the first time that Kyrgios, who reached the last 16 a year ago, has failed to get past the first round in six appearances at his home Grand Slam.
Raonic has reached one Slam final in 2016 at Wimbledon where he lost to Andy Murray.
Earlier that year he achieved his best Australian Open result by reaching the semi-final, where he also lost to the Scot.
