Nick Kyrgios reaches Japan Open quarter-finals, Dan Evans squanders six match points in Tokyo loss
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Updated 06/10/2022 at 15:19 GMT
Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios won his last 16 match against world No. 121 Kamil Majchrzak with a deciding set victory at the Japan Open. Meanwhile, Britain’s Dan Evans lost a thrilling match against Miomir Kecmanovic after he failed to take any of his six match points. He went on to lose a final set tie-break as Kecmanovic admitted he was “lucky” to still be in the event.
Kyrgios fights back to beat Majchrzak and book Tokyo Open quarter-final place
Nick Kyrgios moved into the quarter-finals of the Japan Open with a three-set win over Kamil Majchrzak.
Kyrgios won 3-6 6-2 6-2 in 81 minutes and will play third seed Taylor Fritz in the last eight in Tokyo after the American beat Hiroki Moriya 6-1 3-6 6-4.
Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios lost the first set after he was broken in the third game, but came back in the second set by breaking Majchrzak twice.
A further two breaks in the final set saw Kyrgios see off the Pole to join Frances Tiafoe, who beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles earlier on Thursday.
“Towards the end, I played lights out. I forgot really how fast this court is and how big you can play on it,” said Kyrgios in his post-match interview with TennisTV.
“I just started to play the right way in the second and third set. I tried to play more aggressively. Serve through the court instead of trying to pick my spots.
"He’s a tough player. He doesn’t mind a fast serve and his backhand is very good. I’m just happy to get through.”
He added: "I’ve got really good confidence in my game right now, so I don’t really doubt myself even when I’m down a set. I think playing Grand Slams and going far in Grand Slams has given me that confidence that even if I lose a set I’m still able to maintain and increase my level in the match.”
Kyrgios is also in the doubles semi-finals with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Dan Evans had six match points but failed to take any of them in a dramatic match against Miomir Kecmanovic.
Kecmanovic saved one of the match points with a tweener on his way to a 6-3 3-6 7-6(4) victory.
The Serbian trailed Evans 0-40 at 5-4 in the final set but he produced a sensational comeback as his back was against the wall.
He missed a match point of his own at 6-5, before winning the final four points of the tie-break to take the win.
“That was the first time I did that,” Kecmanovic said about his saved match points. “I absolutely loved the game and just went for it at the time.
“I had a lot of ups and downs, especially in the third set, with a 4-1 lead. Somehow I managed to stay inside, and luckily I’m still here.”
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