Tennis 2022: Nick Kyrgios seals quarter-final spot at Japan Open

Nick Kyrgios had to re-energise his power game to help overcome a slow start and play “lights out” tennis to book a spot in the quarter-finals at the Japan Open.

Nick Kyrgios celebrates his win against Kamil Majchrzak at the Japan Open. Picture: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP

Nick Kyrgios has survived a scare against plucky Polish fighter Kamil Majchrzak, coming back from a set down to seal a quarter-final spot at the Japan Open.

Kyrgios started sluggishly against the world No.121, losing the first three games and never settling on the way to a 3-6 first-set loss.

But he fought back to level the match in the second set and despite having to defend a set point in the third, quickly established his dominance to eventually seal a 3-6 6-2 6-2 victory.

Kyrgios said he was pleased with the final two sets and the “lights out” way he played towards the end of the match.

“I forgot really how fast this court is and how big you can play on it,” he said.

Nick Kyrgios overcame a slow start against Kamil Majchrzak to secure a spot in quarter-finals at the Japan Open. Picture: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP

“I just started playing the right way in the second and third set and really tried to play more aggressive — just serve through the court instead of trying to pick my spots.

“Just serve through with pure power and just play more aggressive, stop trying to rally and just try to his winners from everywhere.”

Majchrzak has never beat a world top 20 player but looked on his way after the first set, with Kyrgios resorting to the now-familiar ranting, headshaking, supporter-berating grump he becomes when things are not flowing his way.

It may not be the most attractive coping mechanism but it’s one that’s worked for Kyrgios, who managed not to lose his cool completely.

The 27-year-old unleashed his serve in the second and third sets, overpowering Majchrzak with 22 aces, making the Pole a mere bystander on court at times, winning 84 per cent of the points on his first serve.

The Australian faces the winner of the second-round match between Japan’s Hiroki Moriya and American Taylor Fritz, which was being played on Thursday night.

Nick Kyrgios got back on track with his power serve. Picture: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP

He will also hit the doubles court again with Thanasi Kokkinakis after the pair booked a quarter-final spot earlier on Thursday.

The top seeds are having fun in Tokyo on and off the court and Kyrgios underlined how teaming up with his mate is a great stress relief during tournaments.

“Tennis is stressful as hell in singles,” he said.

“You try and hold yourself to such a high accountability every time and you could be out here for three hours and it’s exhausting and it’s so serious.

“So to play doubles with Thanasi brings that fun element back.

“But the same time it’s my job you know, I need to make money and that’s how I do it.”

It hasn’t been all work for the pair though, who have made the most of their time in Tokyo, visiting the Pokemon Centre, the zoo, and some of the capital’s shrines.

“Japan’s been amazing. It’s such a it’s a different culture, different people, so fun to be around here, it’s so different to Australia,” he said. “So it’s definitely an event that I want to play pretty much to the end of my career.”

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