Aus Open 2022: Sam Groth on how Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers combat the Special Ks and their wild crowd

Crowds have flocked to Melbourne Park to be part of the Special K’s push for an incredible doubles title. But, what impact will centre court have on their Australian Open party?

The Rod Laver Arena crowd has been urged to cut loose for the Special Ks on Thursday and create a hostile Davis Cup-like atmosphere.

It’s the most intimidating assignment at the Australian Open outside of trying to break Ashleigh Barty’s serve, so how do the third-seeded Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers nullify a raucous crowd as well as the tournament’s doubles sensations?

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Start fast. Don’t do anything too far outside the box. And above all, fight fire with fire.

Australian Open participants have found out the hard way in the past fortnight that there’s no perfect system to eliminating the crowd, but former Davis Cup star Sam Groth believes that’s what the third seeds will need to do to avoid being blown off the courts by Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.

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How do you beat Kyrgios, Kokkinakis and the crowd? Picture: Getty Images

“To be honest, I don’t mind the crowd getting stuck in. As long as there’s no abuse being hurled, I don’t mind the whole atmosphere of it all. We need to be doing things in our sport to keep bringing people to it,” Groth told News Corp.

“But the best way to combat the crowd is to get off to a good start, to be honest – if you can get a red hot start, you can take the crowd out of a match.

“But it’s obviously easier to say than to do.

“You’ve got to go out there knowing that he’s going to be like that it is going to be hostile. And I think if you expect it, then you can work through it. If you’re going out there thinking that it’s going to be normal, then you’re setting yourself up to fail for sure.”

The wild Australian pairing advanced to Thursday’s semi-final following a volatile win over German Tim Putz and New Zealand’s Michael Venus, who branded Kyrgios an “absolute knob” following the match.

Venus was no shrinking violet on the court, and Groth said that approach – and feeding off the crowd – was one way to handle the wall of noise created by the Melbourne fans.

“He seemed to play fairly well by almost giving it back and not every player has that ability to do that. It doesn’t suit everyone’s personality,” Groth said.

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos: Good luck, fellas. Picture: Getty Images

“But if you’ve got a little bit of that in you and you feel like the best way is to fight fire with fire then why not?

“I think what Michael Venus did … he certainly took it to Nick and to the crowd. And it worked for a period of time.

“But the problem is you’re not just fighting the crowd. You’re fighting two really good tennis players.

“You can take it to them and that’s a really great strategy, but you’ve still got to beat them on the tennis court.”

Special Ks are shaking up the tennis landscape. Picture: Getty Images

Groth: Kyrgios and Kokk can make tennis the new F1

Lleyton Hewitt has a tough decision coming up thanks to Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Australia’s Davis Cup doubles team could be set for a monumental shake-up given the run this pair is going on at the Australian Open. Who saw this coming.

The Special Ks as we know and love them have taken the doubles by storm and they’ve caused a few headaches along the way.

Beating the reigning Olympic and Wimbledon champions, knocking off the No 15 seeds and all the while having a laugh with your best mate.

It’s awesome. It’s so Australian.

Nick Kyrgios is finally enjoying his tennis. Picture: Getty Images

The fact I’m even writing a column about doubles tennis is a testament to what these two are doing for this side of the sport. Early round doubles matches being on prime time TV – that’s almost unheard of.

People who have never once watched doubles tennis are now glued to their TVs, they’re flocking to stadiums. It’s the Kyrgios effect in full swing. He promised he would bring the entertainment this year and he’s not disappointing.

And what’s not to love? Two of Australia’s most marketable tennis players ripping it up on court, tearing up the rule book and bringing a whole new focus to a part of the game that, let’s say has been lacking in attention for years.

The fact it’s not in the singles tournament makes it more intriguing.

Nick has long struggled with how lonely the men’s tour is. How good is it to see him out there chest pumping, fist bumping and winning with Kokkinakis.

The pressure is off them. There’s not an enormous amount of money on the line and I doubt either is concerned about their doubles ranking.

The Special Ks are creating a seismic shift in tennis. Picture: Getty Images

They’re thriving in this environment and, from what I am hearing, the two of them are dead serious about winning the title.

We’re seeing a focus and belief from Nick we don’t always see when he plays alone.

While those of us watching on are loving the Special K’s show, I would imagine there’s an element of frustration from some of their lesser known peers.

There are the purists in the sport that don’t like what Kokkinakis and Kyrgios are about. In terms of optics the two of them have to be wary of not being disrespectful to people that have dedicated their careers to doubles. It’s a fine line.

The talk of the locker room confrontation this week was unfair on Nick and Thanasi because they didn’t start it.

They rub people the wrong way, they won’t lose any sleep over it.

What sport always boils down to is business; and this is an entertainment event.

Not everyone visiting Melbourne Park this week is here to watch tennis. Not everyone at Albert Park in April will be there to watch Formula One.

Tennis and its traditionalists have to embrace change.

Look at what Drive to Survive did for F1, they have millions of news fans. Tennis is following suit with a documentary about it’s next generation and if the purists aren’t on board, too bad for them.

Tennis is about to lose some big names.

Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Serena Williams and Andy Murray. They won’t be around forever. The sport has to adapt to bring in new demographics.

The Special Ks are central to this, particularly in Australia.

Lleyton will have to decide what happens for the Davis Cup and it’s going to be a tough call.

I’m not saying you make choices based on who brings in crowds and TV ratings but Australia hasn’t had a solid doubles pairing in the men’s since about 2016.

Maybe it is time for change.

One thing’s for sure, the Special K’s are the most entertaining thing tennis has had in a long time and I hope we’re watching them lift a trophy come Saturday.

Australia, dare to dream.

Originally published as Aus Open 2022: Sam Groth on how Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers combat the Special Ks and their wild crowd