Nick Kyrgios and Ugo Humbert Wimbledon first round match suspended at 3-3 in the fifth set

Nick Kyrgios launches broadside at slow pace of Wimbledon grass courts as his first round match is suspended at 3-3 in fifth set.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia plays a shot through his legs against Ugo Humbert of France at Wimbledon. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios has returned to Wimbledon after a five-month tennis hiatus with a cracking performance, taking French 21st seed Ugo Humbert to 3-3 in the fifth set before play was suspended because of an 11pm curfew.

In a tight, absorbing match, Kyrgios produced his 210kmh aces, mixed his serves with slower balls and interspersed the action with serve and volley play to try to upset the rhythm of the 23-year-old world no.25.

The delicately-poised match will resume this evening, Australian time.

To be continued...

Play is suspended with Kyrgios and Humbert tied at three games all in the deciding set - who will go on to claim victory?#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/1qDgmCByIi

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 29, 2021

For the legion of Kyrgios fans, his occasional tweeners and extravagant play made a welcome return. Only briefly did Kyrgios appear to head down the well-travelled self-destructive path in the third set, when he found himself down three games to love and began muttering about the slowness of the court.

“For you watching at home, it’s grass, it should be fast. This isn’t grass court tennis. They’ve made it slow, it isn’t grass any more. It’s a slow court isn’t it? Make it a grass court again, water it.”

Ugo Humbert smashes a forehand during his Wimbledon first round match against Nick Kyrgios. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios returns during his Wimbledon first round match against Ugo Humbert. Picture: AFP

But in his trademark style, the 26-year old Canberran started the fourth set with four unanswered serves in just 43 seconds, three of which were untouched by Umbert. And with his spirits buoyed, Kyrgios ignored the fatigue of not having played for nearly half the year – his last match was at the Australian Open – and began to shift the momentum his way.

Umbert came into Wimbledon as one of the form players, having won a grass court tournament at Halle.

But Kyrgios had flagged his confidence on the weekend, telling reporters: “I know for a fact that no one here wanted to play me first-round and I feel completely confident going into this match. I’m not saying that I’m the favourite, but I know how to play on grass.”