Nick Kyrgios was unable to fight back the urge to show his jubilation after seeing the scenes unfold at the US Open on Tuesday.
Good friend and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis produced a captivating performance to oust eleventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets in their first-round clash.
It was another impressive opening performance from Kokkinakis, who has now made it to the second round in each of the four majors this year, despite a somewhat troublesome season on the ATP Tour.
On the other hand, things appear to be going from bad to worse for Tsitsipas, who hired a new coach to his setup earlier this month in a bid to reignite his best tennis.
The Greek slipped outside of the top 10 in January for the first time since 2019 and has struggled to maintain any rhythm throughout the 2024 season.
The 26-year-old is still, however, ninth in the Race to the season-ending ATP Finals, but his loss to Kokkinakis at the US Open could hinder his chances heading into the final few months of the year.
Nick Kyrgios claims that Thanasi Kokkinakis has his best shot at winning the US Open this year after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas
Nick Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have maintained their friendship for many years, and their bond is reflected in their energy on the doubles court.
It is the same energy that propelled them to glory at the 2022 Australian Open, clinching the men’s doubles title with an awe-inspiring string of performances.
However, while Kyrgios remains rooted in the punditry sphere as he diligently prepares for a return to action, Kokkinakis remains focused on his return to top-flight tennis.
After an epic four-set encounter that saw the Australian prevail 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3 7-5 over the Greek, Kyrgios took to social media to air his thoughts.
“Kokki!!!!!,” he posted. “If he stays locked in and takes care of business….. could be the best opportunity for him to win a slam in a while.”
Is Kyrgios getting ahead of himself?
While Kokkinakis’ win over Tsitsipas is nothing short of spectacular, could the Australian really win a grand slam?
The 28-year-old burst onto the scene in 2013 as a promising star, cracking the top 100 after just two years on tour and, despite a statement win over Roger Federer in Miami, he has struggled to maintain a consistent level.
In fairness, Kokkinakis’ career has largely been hampered by injuries but this didn’t stop him from securing his first tour-level title in Adelaide in 2022.
His successful runs at majors have also been few and far between and he is yet to progress further than the third round in singles.
But, with the draw opening up nicely for the Australian at this year’s US Open, could Kyrgios be onto something?
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