3 minute read
Spectators seeking controversy were left disappointed as Nick Kyrgios served up three sets of devastatingly impressive tennis to race into Wimbledon's last 32.
With no histrionics, no wars and no noise, Nick Kyrgios was the spitting image of a quiet, no-nonsense businessman as he blasted into the third round at Wimbledon.
Two days after being embroiled in unsavoury controversy as he struggled to tame Briton Paul Jubb in front of the vociferous Court 3 fans, Kyrgios was the very model of focus as he knocked out Serbian No.26 seed Filip Krajinovic 6-2 6-3 6-1 with brutal efficiency on Thursday.
"I just wanted to remind everyone I'm pretty good," said Kyrgios pointedly, still in unsmiling, matter-of-fact mood in his interview on Court 2 afterwards.
"I didn't play great the other day - today, I was in the zone."
Out there, he'd demonstrated why he believes he's one of the best grass-court players in the world as he quite demolished a capable opponent who's good enough to have reached the recent prestigious Queen's Club final.
Quite devastating behind his first serve, the Australian swept to his win in under an hour-and-a-half, having cracked down 24 aces and losing only nine points on his own delivery
Those attracted to the idea of seeing Kyrgios, who admitted to spitting towards a spectator in Tuesday's contest, in further self-destruct mode were to be left sorely disappointed as the controversy magnet was on his best behaviour.
There was an early dispute over a line call and a grumble or two towards a coughing spectator before he was serving, but they didn't even register as the most minor tremors on the normal Kyrgios scale of meltdowns.
In the first set, Kyrgios didn't drop a single point on serve and only conceded the first on his own delivery after 21 straight points, when already 2-0 up in the second stanza.
Krajinovic just looked increasingly dispirited as winner after winner flashed past him, and Kyrgios finished with a flourish, advancing on the Serb's serve to pulverise a backhand return for his 50th winner that sealed the deal.
It set up a mouth-watering third-round clash for Kyrgios with either his great Australian pal Jordan Thompson or No.4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday.
"I'm just happy at the moment, I've been preparing for this tournament, circled it in my calendar all year, and I think it's my best chance of winning a grand slam.
"I've got an incredibly tough draw but I'll keep taking it match by match."
