TENNIS – Nick Kyrgios battled past Roger Federer with 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (14-12) after three hard-fought sets which were decided by three tie-breaks. Diego Sampaolo
Top-seed Roger Federer lost in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Master 1000 Tournament of the year, after a dramatic battle which featured three tie-breaks. Federer could convert on his two match points. Kyrgios clinched the win on his sixth match point with 14-12.
Federer and Kirgyos met for the first time in their careers, although they trained together in Zurich last year before Wimbledon.
Kyrgios, who finished runner-up to Richard Gasquet in the Estoril final last Sunday, started with a break of serve in the first game and held his serve in the next game for 2-0. Federer clawed his way back into the match when Kyrgios went down 0-40 when he was serving for the set at 5-4
Kyrgios saved the first two break points but Federer broke on his third chance to draw level to 5-5 before holding his serve in the next game for 6-5. Kyrgios forced the opening set to the tie-break where Federer got a mini-break to take a 4-1 lead. won clinched the breaker with 7-2 after 42 minutes.
Federer broke serve in the opening game of the second set. He went down 0-30 on his serve in the second game but he recovered by winning four consecutive points to hold his serve for 2-0. Kyrgios converted on his first break point to break back.in the fourth game. The second set came down to the tie-break. Kyrgios stormed out to 5-0 with a mini-break. Federer recovered one mini-break at 6-3 but Kyrgios closed it out 7-5 points.
Two games of the third set went to deuce at 4-4 and 5-6 but both players held serve to force the set to yet another tiebreaker. Kyrgios fended off two match points at 6-7 and at 10-11. Federer saved five match points but he sent his forehand wide on the sixth at 12-13 after two hours and 37 minutes. It’s the first time in his long career that Federer was beaten in the second round in Madrid.
“Last night it was a bit tough to get some sleep knowing that I was going out there. I have been playing well on clay recently, so I knew I had a good chance to go out there and do well”, said Kyrgios
Federer made 30 unforced errors and won just 57 percent of his first serve points.
“I could not return his first serve I just made a horrible performance on the return”, said Federer.
Kyrgios will take on John Isner who held off Thomas Bellucci 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (11-13) 6-1. Isner earned a third match point at 8-7 in the tie-break but Bellucci sealed the win on his fifth match point to force the match to the decider. Isner stormed to 5-0 before wrapping up the match with 6-1 in the third set after 2 hours and 12 minutes
Rafa Nadal dropped just ten of his service points in his 6-3 6-4 win over Steve Johnson Nadal converted on his break point chance with his backhand passing shot to seal the first set in 37 minutes. Nadal wont up 40-15 on Johnson’s serve and converted on his break point chance in the seventh game.
“I tried to start from the bottom and just go up. Especially in the last three games I managed to do a couple more things with my backhand”, said Nadal
Nadal will take on Simone Bolelli who fought back from a set down to edge Luca Vanni in the all-Italian clash with 4-6 6-3 6-2
Grigor Dimitrov fought back from one set down to edge past Fabio Fognini with 3-6 6-2 7-5 after two hours and five minutes. Dimitrov converted on five of his ten break point chances.
“I didn’t play my best tennis.I was a little stoppy. When it’s really hard I managed to pull it off. Fognini was making winners from all over the court..I needed a new game”, said Dimitrov.
Fernando Verdasco rallied from a set down to hold off 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic with 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
