The first night session in Estoril saw two #NextGen players in action but while Nick Kyrgios was an exciting winner against Inigo Cervantes, Kyle Edmund was on the receiving end of a wonderful display from Benoit Paire.
Not many people choose to go to work on their birthday, and the tournament schedule made no allowances for Nick Kyrgios, whose 21st birthday was today. Kyrgios was in exciting form delivering 200 km/h second serves and bringing his exciting brand of power and touch. The first set was tight and went to a tie break but with Kyrgios serving at 77% first serves and winning 89% of those serves, it was a tall order for Cervantes.
However, Cervantes won the ATP Challenger Tour (second tier) year-end tournament last year on clay and, after falling behind a break at the start of the second set, was able to break back for 4-4. Kyrgios’s power was too much and he was able to break once more at 5-5 and served out the match to win 7-6 7-5.
Following the match, the ATP had organised a surprise birthday video with messages from Nick’s friend and family, which was played in the main arena. Birthday wishes were received from members of his family, as well as Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Jack Sock and Mark Philippoussis from the tennis community.
Friday will host an eagerly-anticipated #NextGen affair when Kyrgios and Coric go head to head for the first of what will surely be many occasions.
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Nominations for the most effective shot in Estoril would have to include Benoit Paire’s backhand. The Frenchman used it to elegant and devastating effect in defeating Kyle Edmund 6-7 6-3 6-3. In the course of the match, Paire hit 18 backhand winners (to just 7 unforced errors) and in an extraordinary sequence in the fourth game of the first set he won the game to love with four consecutive backhand winners. That Edmund, another member of the #NextGen group, was able to stay with Paire was down to a much improved serving display after his match on Tuesday with Daniel Gimeno-Traver. He used his serve and forehand to great effect, edging the first set in the tie-break.
Paire had appeared distracted during the first set, both by the crowd (four members of who were ejected at the end of the first set) and the loose clay at one end of the court. However, he improved significantly in the second set, making just one unforced error off the ground and hitting 9 winners. He broke Edmund twice and serve for the set at 5-1, and although pulled back to 5-3, served out the set at the second time of asking.
The third set was a closer affair, with Edmund having break points in four of Paire’s service games, but only being able to break once. In hindsight, he may feel he could have been more aggressive on at least two of the points where a heavier forehand might have served him better. Paire broke Edmund to win the match after 1 hour and 53 minutes and will go on to face Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the quarter finals. If he keeps up this form he will be a contender for the title.