ACT player Nick Kyrgios has reached a career-high ranking of 16th in the world, after defeating three-time defending champion, John Isner at the 2016 BB&T Atlanta Open.
The 21-year-old Australian, 10 years younger than Isner, won 7-6(3) 7-6(4).
Kyrgios matched Isner’s powerful service game, especially in the tiebreakers, and topped the ace count 17-16.
“I knew it was going to be tough from the get-go,” Kyrgios said. “John is still so comfortable on that court. I needed to come up with some special stuff today and it just came down to a couple points here and there. I did all the right things today and stayed calm. I knew I’d have my chance.”
Kyrgios didn’t appear bothered by the conditions in the match that began with temperatures in the mid-30 degrees celsius, thick humidity and sunshine that helped raise the on-court temperature at Atlantic Station to the mid-50s.
He played crisply, and kept asking for balls quickly when he was serving so he could dictate tempo.
“I wasn’t playing well at all at the start of the week,” Kyrgios, the second seed, said. “I wasn’t in a good place at all (mentally). Some things, I guess you can’t explain.”
The match ended on Isner’s fourth double fault. During Isner’s 15-match Atlanta winning streak that ended on Sunday, he was 12-2 in tiebreakers.
“This week was so much fun,” Kyrgios said. “I had my best friend here. I had my mum here, and a couple of the guys I’m closest with on the Tour were here early in the week.”
“It was probably the best week I’ve had off the court in a long time. It’s just rewarding that I played well.”
Congratulations Nick.
POSITION 16
MOVE >2
POINTS 2,115
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