Nick Kyrgios defeats Ugo Humbert in five-set epic to advance to Wimbledon second round

Nick Kyrgios survives injury scare to notch an epic five-set first-round Wimbledon victory over gun young Frenchman Ugo Humbert.

Nick Kyrgios slips while playing France's Ugo Humbert during their men's singles first round match on the third day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2021. Picture: AELTC/Jon Super

Nick Kyrgios celebrated his return to big time tennis with an epic five-set first round two-day triumph against Frenchman Ugo Humbert at Wimbledon overnight (AEST).

“Not too bad for a part time player,’’ Kyrgios said after securing the match 9-7 in the fifth set, referring to the few matches he has played in the past 18 months.

“It didn’t take me much to get me off the couch in Canberra, Australia. Wimbledon is one of my favourite events, it was an easy decision for me.”

Australian players – who backed up Kyrgios’ assessment that the courts were playing too slow – enjoyed a rare day of success. While most of Australia was asleep, Jordan Thompson won his first career match at Wimbledon in a five-set monster match against Norway’s Casper Ruud, while James Duckworth and Alja Tomljanovic also won their first round matches.

But Chris O’Connell lost a heartbreaking five-setter against Gael Monfils that had been played over three days because of rain delays and Alexei Popryin was devastated at his loss to Japanese veteran Kai Nishikori, who was celebrating his 100th grand slam appearance.

Djokovic on Day One: 46-second service game

Kyrgios on Day Two: Hold my Pimm's#Wimbledon | @NickKyrgiospic.twitter.com/U0ooC2Im97

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2021

Kyrgios, 26, had complained about the slowness of the courts on Tuesday night when the match was suspended at a delicate point 3-3 in the fifth set because of an 11pm curfew. That view was also supported by Popyrin who said either the balls or grass were too slow. Thompson said it was a combination of both. “The grass is so long and the balls are very big and fluffy.”

But it was the slickness of the grass that almost cost Kyrgios the victory when, at 6-6 in the fifth set, he hurt his hip while doing the splits at the back of the court.

After rolling around for a few seconds, Kyrgios resumed play but was initially hampered in his movements, relying instead on his lethal serve.

“I was always gonna get up and play with one leg, I was going to finish the match,” he said, before adding: “I am not the most flexible bloke so anytime my legs spread a little bit apart, its like ‘argh’, it was pretty brutal.”

One of the matches of The Championships so far 😍@NickKyrgios outlasts Ugo Humbert 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 9-7 on No.1 Court#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/fO0F4jxk5B

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2021

Kyrgios managed to hold serve and the high calibre match continued until Kyrgios secured a break at 8-7 and served to win the fifth 9-7.

Kyrgios said his 13-hour preparation for Tuesday’s contest, which was initially scheduled for Court 14 just after lunch before being switched to an 8pm start under the roof of Court 1, hadn’t been ideal.

“Thanks for coming out last night and hanging around,” he told the crowd.

“It was one of my favourite memories, honestly, we are struggling with Covid and as a world we can slowly overcome it, but it’s awesome to see you all out here.”

Kyrgios said because the rain had continued for much of Tuesday, “I thought my match was going to be cancelled and I smashed so much food. it was a slow start,” he said, to much laughter.

"I smashed so much food!"#Wimbledon preparations, @NickKyrgios style 🤣 pic.twitter.com/B5M92B8RKo

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 30, 2021

He repeated his earlier “I am on vacation” claim that he was at Wimbledon for a change of scenery and said he was a massive underdog against Humbert, who was fresh off a grass court win at Halle.

“(It) was really fun, I am really proud of myself, it was a big game, a really big game,” Humbert said.

But the strenuous match has told on Kyrgios’ body. He admitted to feeling old when up against fearless opponents like Humbert, but was invigorated by the Wimbledon support.

“I was like, dude, I am getting old. Body-wise I am getting old too,” Kyrgios said.

Nick Kyrgios and Ugo Humbert embrace at the net after their five-set Wimbledon epic. Picture: Getty Images

“To be in the thick of the match was awesome. Obviously that‘s where you want to be: Court 1, packed crowds, playing some decent tennis. I’m surprised I’m playing that well after not … if I had a day-to-day Go Pro on my head back home, to now, it’s pretty incredible to see how different it is.”

He said he had stayed back in Australia last year because playing tennis during a pandemic “wasn’t a smart thing”. But he also revealed that player bubbles and being restricted to hotel rooms while on tour was, for him, too much of a mental strain.

“I know myself and I don’t bullshit to myself,: Kyrgios said.

“(I said to myself) ‘Nick are you going to be in a good mental space over this year to go week in week out in a bubble environment?’, and I said no.

“That‘s why this week I brought my girlfriend, my best friend, two people that I trust and am very comfortable around and who make me feel good.”

Kyrgios will next play Italian Gianluca Mager.