On Thursday, in his ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarterfinal debut at the Miami Open, the Australian Nick Kyrgios overcame big-serving Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(4).
According to ATP World Tour, with his victory on Thursday, Kyrgios became the only one to break the Canadian in Miami. This victory is giving Nick Kyrgios a chance to face Kei Nishikori in the Miami Open semi-finals.
Afterwards Kyrgios declared that he "really learned how to return this year." The Aussie said that one thing that contributed to his victory was his his knowledge. He is giving himself more chances "to take over matches."
Meanwhile, Raonic praised Kyrgios, saying that he is very talented and is "one the biggest upsides in his group." Raonic added, "It's about putting it together and making it count week after week."
Kyrgios was able to read Raonic's serve smartly and restricted his opponent to four aces, showing that he is more than a power hitter. In the one-hour, 44-minute encounter, Kyrgios also took care of his own service games, saving all five break points faced and firing eight aces.
Since mentor Lleyton Hewitt, the Next Generation star Nick Kyrgios is the first Australian to make the final four in Miami. For the first time he will also crack the Top 20 Emirates ATP Rankings and leapfrog Bernard Tomic to become Australian tennis's new No.1, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
With this performance Kyrgios is becoming the youngest player to achieve the feat since Marin Cilic did the same in September 2009.
Kyrgios said of his semi-final opponent that he is among "the greatest players in the world at the moment." Kei Nishikori beat Kyrgios last year, in their lone previous FedEx ATP sHead2Head meeting. Kyrgios added that Nishikori moves unbelievably fast, has an unbelievable return of serve, "hits big from the baseline, and doesn't have many weaknesses."
After the latest victory in the Miami Open, Raonic falls to 17-3 while Kyrgios is now 14-3 on the year. The FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry of the pair is deadlocked at 2-2.
