Kyrgios KO’s Federer; Woz v Sharapova Thurs. in Madrid

by Staff | May 6th, 2015, 11:18 pm
  • 19 Comments

Nick Kyrgios was the talk of the Mutua Madrd Open on Wednesday when the Kid ‘n Play-coiffed Aussie unleashed his huge game while holding his nerve to upset top-seeded Roger Federer 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(12) on the red clay.
ADHEREL
“I was definitely thinking about the finish line, which is probably not the greatest thing, especially against Federer,” said the 20 year old who saved two match points in the final tiebreak. “He’s going to take advantage of that. But I thought as I was saving match points and he was saving match points, that I just had to go through [my] routine and pick a spot on [my] return, and try and do whatever you can.”

Federer himself saved five match points in the final tiebreak before hitting a forehand wide to end it.

“Before the match I didn’t feel nervous or anything like that,” Kyrgios said. “I was just excited to get out to the court. I’ve been playing well recently on the clay, so I knew I had a good chance to go out there and do well. I stuck to my game and served well and I got the win.”


Federer said the Kyrgios delivery on serve was the difference maker.

“My problem was I couldn’t return his first serve,” the Swiss said. “Was just a horrible performance on the return. As the match went on it got so bad that I just couldn’t get into decent positions on the return, so it made it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm after that. But credit to him for serving well and keep doing what he was doing. But I’m very disappointed by that. That’s what cost me the match, in my opinion.”

Other upsets on the day included Fernando “Hot Sauce” Verdasco downing No. 9 Marin Cilic 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-3; Leo Mayer ousting No. 11 Feliciano Lopez 7-6(3), 7-6(6); and Marcel Granollers outlasting No. 13 Gael Monfils 7-6(6), 6-7(7), 6-4.

No. 2 seed Andy Murray led the Top 10 winners by defeating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, and No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal brushed past American Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-3.

“I went out there to do a simple game with no complications,” said Nadal, who returned to his old Babolat frame in an effort to find some comfort. “I tried to play easily. I know how things work out when you come from losing a couple of matches…I tried to start from the bottom and just go up…I know things are going to work out. I haven’t lost my game. I just need to build my confidence and it’ll work out. I know that either sooner or later it will come back. That’s what I want to think. I’m convinced about it. It’s matter of time. Let’s see when it happens.”

Other Top 10 winners were No. 4 Kei Nishikori over David Goffin 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; No. 7 David Ferrer over Al Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 6-0; No. 6 Tomas Berdych edging Richard Gasquet 7-6(3), 7-5; and No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov grinding by Fabio Fognini 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Ferrer will next meet his Spanish countryman Hot Sauce.

American fortunes were mixed as No. 16 seed John Isner beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-1 in the third, while San Querrey lost to No. 14 Roberto Bautista Agut in straights, and Jack Sock lost a third-set tiebreak heartbreaker to No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

On the women’s side, former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka served for the match against current No. 1 Serena Williams, but a nervous rash of double faults saw the younger Williams sister win a 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(1) marathon to move into the quarterfinals.

Azarenka, out with injury for much of 2014, blew a 5-1 lead in the first set tiebreak before serving for the match at 6-5, 40-0 in the final set.

“She’s absolutely on her way back,” Serena said after the escape. “It’s so good to see a Grand Slam champion like her playing so well. I’m always rooting for her when she plays.”

Though probably not in that match. The win extended Williams’ winning streak to 26 matches dating to last year.

“I think overall it was a great match,” Azarenka said. “I think the one negative part I can take about today is the result — overall I felt like I played a pretty high level, I was there on every point. It just didn’t go my way in the end, but overall I should take more positives out of today.”

Williams will next face No. 10 seed Carla Suarez Navarro after the Spaniard topped former No. 1 and No. 7 seed Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.

Two former No. 1s will meet in the quarterfinals after No. 5 Caroline Wozniacki rolled past friend and No. 9 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-2, and No. 3 Maria Sharapova persevered through a tough 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 meeting with French riser Caroline Garcia.

No. 4 Petra Kvitova will next meet Irina-Camelia Begu after Kvitova handled Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 6-4, and the unseeded Romanian beat Czech Barbora Strycova 6-4, 6-4.

No. 13 seed Lucie Safarova was a 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-0 winner against Italy’s Roberta Vinci, and will next face Svetlana Kuznetsova, who edged Samantha Stosur 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(5) in the late match.

Thursday’s horn of plenty in Madrid will feature:

[5] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. [3] Maria Sharapova (RUS)
[1] Serena Williams (USA) vs. [10] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
[3] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Simone Bolelli (ITA)
[7] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
[14] Roberto Bautista Agut vs. [4] Kei Nishikori (JPN)
[5] Milos Raonic (CAN) vs. Leonardo Mayer (ARG)
[10] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. [8] Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. [13] Lucie Safarova (CZE)
[4] Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs. Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU)
[WC] Marcel Granollers (ESP) vs. [2] Andy Murray (GBR)
[12] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) vs. [16] John Isner (USA)


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19 Comments for Kyrgios KO’s Federer; Woz v Sharapova Thurs. in Madrid

Emily Says:

After all this Rafa panic, he’s flying through this draw. Those confidence comments sound even more like a decoy now, as he is looking very positive on court


Margot Says:

And out goes Kyrgios. What a surprise, not. Ended the match with a double fault. Not quite nerves of steel……yet.


Giles Says:

Emily. What on earth are you talking about? “decoy”? Really??? And “flying through the draw”. He has won precise.y TWO matches!


TennisVagabond.com Says:

Meanwhile, Berdych continues putting together a VERY impressive season with a win over Tsonga. Never thought of him as a consistent player, but he’s been going deep in every tournament, winning all the matches he’s supposed to.


Giles Says:

Emily. What are you talking about ? Decoy? What decoy? And “flying through the draw”, what does that even mean? Rafa has won precisely TWO matches so far. Geez!!’


RZ Says:

I think Kyrgyios is like Laura Robson – gets up for the big matches on the big stage, but has work to do to get through the smaller ones. (Until last week, he hadn’t done a whole lot in non-slam tournaments). But still a remarkable couple of weeks for him and hopefully he can build on it.

Speaking of Robson, I heard she is out of the French but is hoping to return for grasscourt season.


Emily Says:

My goodness Giles, just an observation. Watching his matches, he looks much more confident and motivated, like he knows he can win this. His matches were quick and simple, and while the opponents weren’t the best, he’s focusing on himself.

I was also saying that him continuing to talk about his confidence issues is not as much the case as it may have been a few weeks ago.

Hey, my fave is out of the tournament too, so I have no vested interest other then watching a great player play well.


Giles Says:

Emily. Ok then. Just didn’t like the term “decoy”.


jane Says:

rz, agree, and i think dimitrov has traditionally been a little like that too.


Margot Says:

Dimi just beat Stan. Stan is having a mare year.


ckr Says:

Isner is playing pretty well recently (after the Davis Cup debacle). He got together with Justin Gimblesob. May be he is onto something. It’s not a bad loss to Nick Kyrgios.

If Cilic could win a GS..anyone else on the tour could.


M Says:

” Kid ‘n Play-coiffed”

Okay, Staff, you kind of stole my line there, and I’d like the credit for it, plzkthx.

At least before you try “Kriss Kross – coiffed” next time, in an effort to try to be original.

:-)


Margot Says:

Wowzer! Murray in a hurry tonight!
Niiiiccceee! Go Andy!


the DA Says:

Well that was ruthless and efficient. Marcel was a bit tired but Andy’s returning was *wow* tonight. Jonas and Amelie have clearly got him to go for it more. And the stats show it too: he’s 2nd in 1st serve returns (after Ferrer) in 2015 so far. Loving that. Of course that will come in handy if he meets his projected opponent.


jalep Says:

Wow! Andres Murrano into quarterfinal!

have not been able to watch any matches this week but happy to see he had no trouble with Granollers.

He’s got Milos tomorrow.


jalep Says:

Should have some time to watch tomorrow and it all looks fun.

Sharapova v Sveta: Maria is in destroyer mode
Serena v Kvitova: Serena ” ” ” ”
Maria v Serena final.

1.Rafa will love attacking Grigor’s backhand. Rafa likes it.
2. Isner v Berdych: not sure. The human trebuchet (as Markus put it) is on a roll. I’ll take Isner.
3.Andy v Milos: Andy!
4.Kei v Ferrer: oh, tough call. Thinking Ferrer but…This is the match I really want to watch!


M Says:

LOL @ “Murrano”.

Scared of Muzz running around bageling people, too.

Milos was clocking in at 225kph today but Muzz has more weapons, I think.

I don’t think I can call it, but I’m sure they’ll go to 3.

Ferru too, b/c he really wants it and the home crowd will support him, but Kei — he’s coached by Michael Chang, remember, one of the youngest RG winners ever — has been killing it on the clay lately.

Isner v. Berdych is a tough call, and I didn’t think I’d ever say that. Both of them seem to be in their best form pretty much ever.

Stay focused, Rafa! Dimi is really, finally, both trying & thinking … but all of Spain is there to support you; I saw Mr. Santana in your box as early as 2R. Vamos!


Margot Says:

@M
Depends on Andy’s serve, I think. Against big servers, the first thing you need to do is to protect your own serve. Then, hopefully, Andy’s gr8 ROS can do some damage.

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