Australian tennis stars Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis advance to fourth round at Miami Open

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won again in Miami but will need to defeat top-10 opponents to keep going.

In-form Australian Nick Kyrgios is into the fourth round at the Miami Open. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios bulldozed through another opponent at the Miami Open on Monday before his close friend and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis followed him into the fourth round.

The Australian Open doubles champions continue to thrive together and on their own this year, in what’s become a popular resurgence for two of the country’s tennis stars.

They both spent time outside the top 100 in the ATP rankings this year – Kyrgios is still the world No.102 – but are now among the last 16 players left at one of the tour’s most prestigious tournaments.

Kyrgios’ day began with a swipe at former top-10 player Daniela Hantuchova and, to a lesser degree, Andy Roddick then ended with a 6-2 6-4 demolition of Italian firebrand Fabio Fognini.

The former world No.13 has never won a Masters 1000 event and last won a singles title in 2019 but is in imperious form, evidenced by his 6-3 6-0 romp against world No.7 Andrey Rublev in the previous round.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Nick Kyrgios of Australia returns a shot to Fabio Fognini of Italy during the 2022 Miami Open presented by Itaú at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

“I knew that if I came out with some energy and jumped on him (Fognini) early, I was going to run with it,” he said.

“The way I’ve played the last couple of matches; I can’t really ask for much more.”

Kyrgios hit 10 aces past Fognini and again didn’t face a single break point in setting up a clash with Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who saved five match points to outlast Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta.

They were meant to face off at Indian Wells a fortnight ago but Sinner handed Kyrgios a walkover into the quarter-finals, where Rafael Nadal beat the Australian in three sets.

Kyrgios spoke candidly in February about dealing with depression during one of the “darkest periods” of his life three years ago but spoke earlier in the Miami event about being “at peace with everything off the court”.

Nick Kyrgios is in devastating form in Miami after also making the Indian Wells quarter-finals. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

He has never been shy about airing his grievances and was clearly unimpressed with Hantuchova’s comment that Emma Raducanu was losing the “locker room respect” she amassed with her US Open triumph.

“What’s with old retired players giving their opinion on our stars now?” Kyrgios tweeted.

“I love A-rod (Roddick) and I agree we all need to chill with the rackets and all that, but geezus, I read an article about a past female player talking about Radacanu (sic), no offence but she is a far far bigger name already.”

Kokkinakis had a far tougher passage, surviving fellow qualifier Denis Kudla 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in a contest lasting almost three hours.

Thanasi Kokkinakis is proving he belongs on the ATP Tour. Picture: Getty Images

The Adelaide singles champion further entrenches himself on the main tour with the win after spending more than six years with a triple-digit ranking as injuries and illness threatened to ruin his career.

Kokkinakis will have to upset second-seeded German Alex Zverev if he is to advance to the quarter-finals.

Their only meeting was at the now-defunct Hopman Cup in Perth four years ago, when Kokkinakis came from a set down to win 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are also into the Miami doubles quarter-finals.

Two other Australians, Alex de Minaur and wildcard Daria Saville, will play their respective third- and fourth-round singles matches on Tuesday.