Australian Open - 'It's happened!' - Nick Kyrgios wins set with underarm ace to stun Dominic Thiem
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Updated 12/02/2021 at 11:09 GMT
Dominic Thiem was left stunned as Nick Kyrgios, playing up to a raucous crowd on John Cain Arena, hit an ace with an audacious underarm serve to win the second set. There was already an incredible atmosphere, but Kyrgios took things to another level with the cheeky shot - and it wasn't his first underarm serve of the match either.
Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts after a point against Austria's Dominic Thiem during their men's singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne
Image credit: Getty Images
Nick Kyrgios sent the home fans into delirium with an incredible underarm ace to win the second set of his match against Dominic Thiem at the Australian Open.
The mercurial Australian delighted the Melbourne fans from the outset with a , with the 2020 US Open champion left totally stunned.
Eurosport expert Jo Durie noted on commentary that Thiem was left "completely lost" by Kyrgios's wild but inspired play after two sets of magic.
The unseeded Australian left the crowd in raptures as he not only won the second set in style, but with an underarm ace.
Chris Bradnam, on commentary for Eurosport, declared, "It's happened!", when Thiem was unable to respond to the underarm serve that left him rooted to the spot.
"The underarm ace secures the set! Thiem has got a mountain to climb," roared Bradnam.
It had to happen one day, it's happened today!
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'It's happened!' - Kyrgios aces Thiem with underarm to win second set in style
It was not the first time the 25-year-old had outfoxed the shell-shocked Thiem in comprehensive fashion in the match, and he beat him with another underarm serve earlier in the set, to the disbelief of his opponent and the fans.
To Thiem's credit, he responded to a cheeky fake from Kyrgios to attempt yet another underarm serve the very next point in the perfect fashion as he blasted an emphatic winner.
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'Got him!' - Kyrgios fakes second underarm serve, Thiem blasts winner
Kyrgios took the opening set in similarly inspired fashion as he closed it out to huge roars from the fired up crowd on John Cain Arena.
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