Win for ‘bored’ Kyrgios, bad days for Tomic and Stosur
Nick Kyrgios returns a shot to Sam Querrey during his first–up win. Photo: AP
In-form Nick Kyrgios claims he was bored during his routine 6-4 6-4 first-round triumph over Sam Query at the Shanghai Masters.
The 21-year-old, whose victory in the Japan Open on Sunday moved him to a career-high 12th in the world, extended his winning run to six matches in just 53 minutes.
However, when asked why he was unusually quiet on court the mercurial Canberran admitted it was down to being tired.
“I was just a bit bored at times,” said Kyrgios.
A ‘bored’ Nick Kyrgios has progressed at the Shanghai Masters. Photo: AAP
“I was feeling very tired. It was just tough … maybe I just wanted to get the job done.
“I didn’t have the greatest sleep last night and obviously got in late the day before.
“The ride to the courts isn’t great either.”
At the Shanghai Masters last year that Kyrgios was fined $US1,500 for a foul-mouthed outburst, where he described the tournament as a “circus”.
Meanwhile injury forced Bernard Tomic to retire midway through his first-round clash with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
Tomic was trailing 3-0 in the second set having lost the opener 6-3 when he decided he wasn’t fit to continue.
World No.1 Novak Djokovic stepped onto a court for the first time since losing the US Open final a month ago, with the Serb earning a 6-3 6-3 won over Fabio Fognini.
Djokovic, a three-time champion in China’s commercial capital, has also been healing an elbow injury and is trying to hold off a rankings charge from world No.2 Andy Murray, winner of the Beijing title.
Stosur’s dismal Asian campaign at an end
Samantha Stosur meanwhile has crashed out of the Hong Kong Open, losing her first–round clash to Japan’s Nao Hibino. Stosur’s defeat was her third successive first–round exit at the Hong Kong Open.
The world No.26 slumped to a 6-3 6-4 defeat to Hibino – a player ranked 40 places below the Queenslander.
Fourth seeded Stosur saved multiple match points in the second set before finally succumbing after putting a return wide of the line to hand the Hibino her first victory over the former US Open champion.
World No.1 Angelique Kerber has kick-started her final week in Asia with a 6-4 6-4 defeat of Greek Maria Sakkari to power into the second round.
