ACAPULCO (MEXICO), March 1: Australian Nick Kyrgios, unfazed by stern words from vanquished Rafael Nadal, produced another gritty win over Switzerland�s Stan Wawrinka to reach the semifinals of the Mexico Open.
A day after his dramatic comeback victory over 17-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, Kyrgios out-lasted Wawrinka 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 on Thursday to book a meeting with either John Isner or John Millman for a place in the final.
Third-seeded Isner and eighth-seeded Millman met in the final match on Cancha Central, where Kyrgios once again took a twisting path to victory.
The drama started in the very first game, when Kyrgios took an awkward fall and badly scraped the knuckles of his racquet hand.
As he received mid-game treatment the crowd grew restive, provoking the unpredictable Australian.
With the problem tended to, Kyrgios closed out the game, the set going with serve until Kyrgios seized upon a couple of loose points from Wawrinka to gain the break and the set 7-5.
A tense second set saw Wawrinka break Kyrgios at love for a 5-4 lead. But Kyrgios broke back as they went to the tiebreaker � Kyrgios vociferously defending himself when the umpire seemed to find his �let�s go� call to Wawrinka hostile.
Wawrinka won the tiebreaker to force a deciding set that saw Kyrgios break for a 3-2 lead he wouldn�t relinquish, although before it was over he would exchange words with a critical spectator and provoke Wawrinka by having the trainer on yet again.
Unable to convert two match points against Wawrinka�s serve, Kyrgios closed it out in an explosive 10th game, and insisted he relished it all despite complaining of debilitating cramps.
�I love it,� he said. �I actually play better when the crowd�s against me.� Kyrgios had already brushed aside Nadal�s complaint that he lacked respect �for the public, the opponent and himself�. � AFP
