Australia's Nick Kyrgios celebrates after defeating France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during his third round match at the Australian Open. Photo / AP.
Australia's Nick Kyrgios celebrates after defeating France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during his third round match at the Australian Open. Photo / AP.
Nick Kyrgios gave fans plenty to cheer about as he inched his way to a four set victory over childhood idol Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Rod Laver Arena.
The match was ruled by service games with each player struggling to break through their opponent's searing serves. Three tense tiebreaks, all of which Kyrgios won, had fans biting their nails for the entire three hour and 17 minute clash.
A tense moment which saw Tsonga scream at a spectator briefly marred the clash as the Frenchman copped a warning. He later admitted the incident drove him "a little crazy" before losing his grip over the match.
On Margaret Court Arena, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal continued his breezy campaign with a dominant straight-sets vicotry over Damir Dzumhur, skittling the Bosnian 6-1 6-3 6-1.
Andreas Seppi (ITA) defeated Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-3 7-6 6-7 6-7 9-7
(6) Marin Cilic (CRO) defeated Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-6 6-3 7-6
Kyrgios wins over childhood idol Tsonga
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bounced back from his blow-up with a spectator early in the fourth set to bring Aussie Nick Kyrgios to another tiebreak. Neither man could get a break throughout the fourth as the battle closed in on a looming fifth set.
Tsongabroke Kyrgios early in the tiebreakand began using his superior game at the net to shake things up — but a leg niggle after a failed volley had the 32-year-old on tenterhooks.
Kyrgios incredibly fought back from 2-5 in the tiebreak to find himself at match point with 6-5. Tsonga hit an unforced forehand error into the net and sent the crowd wild as Kyrgios jumped around in elation.
France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, right, congratulates Australia's Nick Kyrgios after Kyrgios won their third round match at the Australian Open. Photo / AP
"He was a guy I looked up to as a kid, still do," Kyrgios said after the match.
Tsonga spoke about the loss, including his blow-up at a spectator, at his post-match press conference.
"On the set point (in the third set), in between the first serve and the second, the guy was talking to me and telling me 'You are under pressure now, you are under pressure now' when I was bouncing my balls," Tsonga said.
"That's it. I lost it and it (drove) me a little bit crazy.
"You know, it's not fair. It's not fair. But, yeah, that's it. The guy was feeling safe because he was upstairs (in the stands). I just tell him 'Come now to see if you feel the pressure or not.' That's it.
Tsonga was in full praise of his 22-year-old opponent but admitted he could still get miles better.
"I think he still needs time to improve. With his game already, he can do some damage. We never know," he said.
"The most important in tennis I think is to believe in it. I think he's got it. So that is the most important. He has got it. Yeah, we will see how it goes for him. But anyway, it's already a good player."
The Aussie gun will now face World No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16.
