Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are through to a grand slam doubles quarterfinal after defeating 15th seeds Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar in three sets.
The Greek-Australians, lovingly known as the ‘Special Ks’, fought their way into the quarter-finals in front of a full house at Kia Arena on Sunday, having already upset top-ranked Croatian duo Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic in the second round.
The duo’s form and on-court showmanship have reignited interest in the men’s doubles tournament at Melbourne Park, with patriotic and often boisterous crowds flocking to their matches.
The crowd were at full voice and they enjoyed not just the quality of the tennis — Kyrgios and Kokkinakis combined to hit 23 aces — but also the entertainment provided.
The pair took to the court in the wake of Kyrgios’s claim he and Kokkinakis were threatened with violence following their win over number one seeds Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić on Friday.