Beijing, China, 4 October 2017 | tennis.com.au

Nick Kyrgios is through to the China Open quarterfinals after a comeback win over Mischa Zverev. The Australian No.1 was at his flamboyant best as he downed the German 3-6 6-2 6-2 on Diamond Court.

Kyrgios may have finished fast, but he took a little time to get going in this big-hitting clash. The world No.19 surrendered an early break to Zverev, who raced away to a 4-1 lead. As Kyrgios found his range in the match he came close to recovering that break, but Zverev served big, defended well and took the opener.

If the Aussie had been playing catch up in the first set, in the second he was making all the running. An early break gave Kyrgios a cushion, freeing him up to play some simply sublime all-court tennis.

Moving Zverev around the court, Kyrgios combined devastating angles with his characteristic flare, breaking at the death to take the match into a decider.

By now, it was all about Nick. Again Kyrgios took the early break, and again he frustrated his opponent with his lackadaisical mix of shot making.

With the match escaping him, Zverev attempted to find a way past the Kyrgios serve. But the 22 year-old Aussie had all of the answers, and was holding easily. A second break sealed the match in 81 minutes.

“I just wanted to prove to myself how much I have improved,” Kyrgios said after the match. “I knew it was going to be tough. He plays a very old-school type of tennis, likes to come forward a lot.

“I got broken early in the first. Then I knew I had to loosen up and find my rhythm a little bit. I started serving much better, started just relaxing. I knew I was going to feel pretty comfortable at some stage out there. Obviously just really happy to get through.”

Kyrgios will play the winner of Dusan Lajovic and Steve Darcis in the quarterfinals.