US Open: Nick Kyrgios pops a collar in second round destruction of Antoine Hoang

Nick Kyrgios was arguing with the chair umpire before his US Open match even began after the official took issue with a three-word message.

Nick Kyrgios serves against Antoine Hoang. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Nick Kyrgios had a three word-message for his fans written on his shirt collar and only needed three sets to dismiss France’s Antoine Hoang 6-4 6-2 6-4 in his second round match at the US Open on Friday (AEST).

Unfortunately the chair umpire believed it to be against tournament rules to be sporting a message on his playing uniform.

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Kyrgios, whose collar read “Just Do You” — a variation of Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan — objected to the objection in the moment, saying: “I wanna see the rule. I wanna see the rule. I’m not going to play until you show me the rule.”

Nick Kyrgios has a logo on his popped collar. I- pic.twitter.com/7j1mE23APM

— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 29, 2019

He eventually played nice and put his collar down but later suggested it was a one-off.

“I think they thought it was a slogan, but it wasn’t,” Kyrgios said. “It wasn’t anything to do with a marketing thing. I think they must have read it wrong. I think they thought it said ‘Just Do It’ like the slogan.

“It was a mix-up. It’s all cleared up now. I can wear that. I can wear the collar up.”

But that hasn’t been determined yet. US Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier says tournament officials and Nike will review the shirt and rule whether it is within specifications.

Kyrgios was electric as usual in front of a jam-packed Grandstand arena that was described as “the biggest of the week” for that court.

“Playing against a qualifier, on Grandstand at the US Open, those who argue he doesn’t bring people to tennis or put bums on seats, take a look,” former Aussie tennis player Sam Groth tweeted. “You can argue about his behaviour but not that he is a drawcard wherever he plays.”

That’s the biggest crowd of the week on Grandstand. For NK pic.twitter.com/gFEPgxUTjV

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 29, 2019

From that point the Aussie renegade negotiated the match without much fanfare — almost.

Kyrgios had a smooth opening, taking the first set 6-4 before breaking in the first and fifth games of the second set to take it 6-2.

Kyrgios also had special edition NYC shoes. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The first minor hiccup didn’t arrive until early in the third when Hoang — having been broken in the first game of the set — managed to break back to level it at 1-1.

Kyrgios immediately broke again but after taking a 4-1 lead found trouble on serve as Hoang fought back to 4-3.

FIREWORKS FINALLY ARRIVE

The fireworks the fans were waiting for finally arrived with Kyrgios serving in the eighth game of the third set when Hoang hit a shot that was called out but challenged after Kyrgios heard the chair umpire call game.

Nick Kyrgios discusses a ruling with tournament official Remy Azemar. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

He fired up, questioning the umpire before refusing to talk to him and calling an official on the court to explain.

“You can say game and then challenge? Is that what you’re telling me? He said game, he said the score,” Kyrgios railed. “He hit the ball out. He said game. The game’s finished now.”

The official allowed the challenge to stand but Kyrgios served it out with ease to hold for 5-3, before winning the set 6-4.

That was a late challenge #Kyrgios probably right on that one. I do love how the tournament ref now sits courtside too. #USOpen #Kyrgios

— Paul Johnson (@pjohnson_sports) August 30, 2019

His progression to a third round clash against rising Russian star Andrey Rublev — who defeated Roger Federer in Cincinnati earlier this month and knocked out eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in New York — matches his deepest run at Flushing Meadows.

But a very open draw has him eyeing the second week.

“New York’s got a fair few distractions so I’m trying to stay away from that,” Kyrgios said. “It’s one of my favourite tournaments of the year so I’m really trying to strap in and go far.”

Kyrgios will meet the winner of fellow Aussie Alexei Popyrin’s clash against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini if he makes it past Rublev.

From there 13th-seed Gael Monfils looms as a potential quarterfinal opponent before what could be a blockbuster semi against Rafael Nadal.

Stay focused, mate. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

Kyrgios’ straightforward progress through tournament has been in contrast to the ripples he’s created off court.

The 24-year-old accused the governing body for men’s tennis, the ATP, of being “pretty corrupt” after his first-round win against Steve Johnson when he was asked about his record $A167,000 fine in Cincinnati earlier this month.

Kyrgios backtracked, saying he was trying to highlight what he sees as a “double standard” in how he’s treated by officials, but the ATP considered the comment a “major offence” and has launched an investigation.

It was a mixed day for the Aussie men at Flushing Meadows as Popyrin and Alex De Minaur both surged into the third round but Jordan Thompson bowed out and Thanasi Kokkinakis was forced to withdraw from his match against Nadal.