Nick Kyrgios has defeated his doubles partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, in the first round of the US Open 6-3 6-4 7-6(4).
Kyrgios raced through the first two sets in just more than an hour, using his serve to dominate play.
Kokkinakis did not earn a break point, but he made things interesting by holding from 0/40 in the third set and pushing the set to a tie-break.
At 4/4, Kokkinakis just missed a forehand down the line wide, which proved a fatal mistake. Kyrgios won the next two points on his serve to clinch his victory just two minutes short of midnight.
This was the first time the ‘Special Ks’ have played against each other on the main tour. They are seeking their third title of the year together in the men’s doubles at the US Open this year.
Kyrgios will take on French tennis player, Benjamin Bonzi, in the second round of the men’s singles.
Stefanos Tsitsipas out of US Open in first round:
Fourth seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has bombed out of the first round of the US Open after an epic upset defeat to Daniel Elahi Galan.
The Colombian won an enthralling four-set match, 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York.
Galan won the first 10 sets of the match with little fight back from Tsitsipas. The Greek came back fighting but it wasn’t enough to seal him the victory.
Galan will now face Australian Jordan Thompson in the second round on Thursday.