Nick Kyrgios upsets Poland's Hubert Hurkacz by racing through service games in Montreal Open defeat
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Updated 12/08/2022 at 20:59 GMT
Nick Kyrgios is renowned for his powerful serves, but it was his speed that raised eyebrows during his Montreal Open quarter-final match against Hubert Hurkacz. The Polish world No. 10 was put off by his Australian rival's rapid approach, taking as little as 45 seconds to hold serve. Kyrgios appeared to be dealing with ankle and back issues throughout the match but his serves were red hot.
Highlights: Hurkacz overcomes in-form Kyrgios to move into Montreal semi-finals
Nick Kyrgios raised eyebrows with a high-speed approach to his service games during his 7-6 6-7 6-1 quarter-final defeat against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.
The Australian averaged 1 minutes and 22 seconds through the first two sets, holding in 44 seconds during one especially speedy second set game.
Hurkacz was hardly slow, averaging a little over two minutes himself, but he was put off by Kyrgios' approach, making some quiet comments to the match umpire.
The rules state that the server sets the pace though, so Hurkacz had little recourse.
The pair raced through the opening tiebreaker set, playing 69 points in 33 minutes.
From the opening point of the match, Kyrgios was limping on an ankle issue and continuously stretching his back.
It seemed as if his speedy approach to serving may have been a tactic aimed at getting through the match as quickly as possible.
The pair completed two tiebreaker sets in little over an hour, moving at a rapid pace with both barely able to return at times.
Unfortunately for the Australian, those ankle and back issues became more pronounced as the match entered its third set.
Then, Kyrgios became the first player in the match to have his serve broken and his spirit appeared to be fading.
He allowed Hurkacz to race into a 3-0 lead in the decisive set, barely moving to try to return serve.
It was an uncharacteristically quiet display from Kyrgios, with his typical shouting to his box and chirping at the umpire nowhere to be seen until he began to struggle in the third set.
Then, Hurkacz's decision to change clothes upset the temperamental Australian.
First Kyrgios asked the umpire "why did he change clothes, nobody needs to change clothes," before adding - loud enough for the television coverage to pick it up -"15 f*****g degrees. Nobody needs to change clothes in this temperature."
Despite his relatively calm demeanour, the Australian also found time to criticise the ball boys for being too slow to deliver his balls.
Once the ball was in play though, there was some brilliant moments from Kyrgios.
The Australian has enjoyed a career summer in 2022, reaching the final of Wimbledon and winning the Washington Open singles title as well as the Atlanta Open doubles crown with compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Hurkacz advances the semi-finals in Montreal, where he will face the winner of this evening's match between Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The Pole is in red-hot form in Masters events this year, reaching two quarter-finals and two semis (at least) already.
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