Brave Nick Kyrgios falls to Dominic Thiem spirit

It was the thunderous storm before the enforced calm in Victoria and Nick Kyrgios was smack bang in the centre of it.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios stretches out during his five-set third round loss to Austria’s Dominic Thiem at Melbourne Park on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

It was the thunderous storm before the enforced calm in Victoria and Nick Kyrgios was smack bang in the centre of it in an enthralling but ultimately failed bid to upset world No 3 Dominic Thiem.

All around John Cain Arena fans were in a frenzy, egged on by the antics of the Australian as he played puppet master for a period to one of the world’s very best on Friday night.

An underarm ace to claim the second set? Tick. Trick shots here, lightning forehands there? Ditto. Repeatedly thump his forehead with his racquet? Check.

For those in the stands for the final time for at least five days, to look away for a second was to risk missing another random act of brilliance or balderdash.

Kyrgios had the reigning US Open champion huffing and puffing as he stormed through the first two sets. But against a master of the five-set format — Thiem became the first man in the Open era to win a US Open final from two sets down in September — Hurricane Kyrgios ultimately blew out.

A finalist in the Australian Open in 2020, it will be Thiem who plays Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday night after his 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 win in 3hr 21min.

As for Kyrgios, given he sat out last year due to the pandemic, who knows when he will be seen again?

Thiem’s sustained excellence in the onslaught from both Kyrgios and the crowd was outstanding, but the Australian was also eventually hoisted in part by his propensity for trickery.

Holding game point at 4-all in the fourth set, he opted for a between-the-legs half-volley that went awry. Giving the world No 3 an even break proved a bad idea.

Two points later Thiem walloped a forehand past the incoming Australian to move to within a service game of forcing a thriller. It became a dash to the finish line, true both for the competitors and those roaring from the sidelines.

The deciding set started just after 10pm, with less than 90 minutes until every fan had to be out of Melbourne Park.

Kyrgios held to love to start the fifth set. The 25-year-old dashed to his chair as though he might be fined for breaking curfew when instead he was deemed an essential worker. Make of that what you will. He is certainly compulsory viewing for those who revel in the theatrics of Kyrgios.

Thiem made his move at 3-all, unleashing powerful groundstrokes off both wings, ultimately seizing the crucial break when the Australian erred on a forehand.

When Kyrgios broke the Thiem serve in the opening game of their third-round match, the Austrian must have realised he was in for a long night.

Kyrgios made his way to his chair, thought better of it and danced back on the court, gesticulating, stirring and carousing the crowd. Love him or loathe him, it was clear Kyrgios wanted the crowd to celebrate before Victoria went back into lockdown.

Thiem agreed with the sentiment. “Tonight was epic. It was a good last match before the lockdown, I’m sad to say,” he said.