By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Nick Kyrgios’s long-awaited return to the Grand Slam stage proved something of a let-down as Briton Jacob Fearnley sent the ailing home hero out of the Australian Open first round in straight sets on Monday.
A capacity crowd packed out Kyrgios’s favourite John Cain Arena for his first match at Melbourne Park in three years, hoping the tennis showman could shrug off an abdominal strain to battle through.
Most left deflated as Kyrgios went down swinging in a 7-6(3) 6-3 7-6(2) defeat, with the injury hampering his serve and movement.
Fearnley, however, was impressive on his debut at the year’s first Grand Slam as he set up a second round match with Frenchman Arthur Cazaux.
“Obviously extremely nervous before the match, I didn’t get much sleep,” Fearnley said on court.
“Sorry for Nick, I could tell he was dealing with some stuff. But I thought it was a great match and I really enjoyed playing with you guys.
“All things considered, it’s probably the best match (I’ve played).”
Having previously won only two tour-level matches and with the crowd heavily stacked against him, the world number 92 barely put a foot wrong at the so-called “People’s Court”.
Fearnley was rock-solid on serve and kept the crowd at bay until midway through the third set when he let a 3-1 lead slip.
Kyrgios broke Fearnley to put the game back on serve at 3-3 as the Briton tensed up and failed to convert a slew of break points.
The Kyrgios party tricks came out — the hopping, backhand winners and behind-the-back shots reigniting the crowd.
The 29-year-old scrapped his way to the tiebreak then promptly crumbled, giving up five match points in a flash.
He saved one but bowed out with a backhand into the net and exited the arena quickly with a single kiss blown at the crowd.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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