Nick Kyrgios has made it through to the US Open third round for the fifth time in his tennis career, after defeating Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Even though it was a tough match and Kyrgios appeared to have a lot of issues unrelated to the gane, he managed to push through and secure a victory over Bonzi.
During the match, Kyrgios complained to the chair umpire saying “I can smell marijuana fumes” midway through the second set.
He also complained to his own team that they were not focused enough on directions to see him through more tight moments, according to Eurosport.
“I was literally hanging by a thread,” the 23rd seed said during his on-court interview.
“His level today was incredible. I was not expecting an absolute war. That could have gone either way. He was a break up early in the fourth. I played some really risky tennis late in that fourth set to win. I’m just really happy to get through.
“It’s been a very stressful time so I have high expectations to go deep this week and I’m just glad I got through.
“Every tournament I play now I’m expected to play amazing tennis every time but I’d rather have that pressure and expectation to go far but I definitely feel like my game has so much more confidence and I’m playing some of the best tennis of my life. That’s down to a lot of things but I’m happy.”
Kyrgios, who has never gone beyond the third round at the US Open, will now face American J.J. Wolf.
Meanwhile, women’s third seed Maria Sakkari is out of the US Open following a shock defeat by unseeded Chinese Wang Xiyu 3-6 7-5 7-5.
Sakkari, following a one-set lead committed a series of unforced errors as Wang claimed her first ever victory over a top-10 player.
This was the second loss for Greece after fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas exited following a stunning upset against Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, losing 0-6, 1-6, 6-3, 5-7.