Nick Kyrgios provided a surprise in the second round of the Masters tournament in Montreal on Wednesday. The Australian eliminated number one in the world Daniil Medvedev. Despite a match point, Carlos Alcaraz was surprised by the American Tommy Paul.
Kyrgios was too strong for Medvedev on the Canadian hard court in three sets: 6-7 (2), 6-4 and 6-2 The global number 37 in the world decided the match after about two hours on his first match point.
The 27-year-old Kyrgios left two set points in the first set with a score of 5-4, after which the one year younger Medvedev simply won the tiebreak.
In the second company Kyrgios immediately took a break and he did not relinquish it. Medvedev was able to keep up with his opponent a little longer in the deciding set, but gave up his service in the fifth game. He didn’t pick up a game after that.
Kyrgios, who surprisingly reached the Wimbledon final last month, will meet Alex de Minaur or Grigor Dimitrov in the third round. He won the ATP tournament in Washington last week.
Medvedev had a bye in the first round in Montreal. The Russian won his first title of this season on the hard court in Los Cabos, Mexico, last week.
Carlos Alcaraz lost to Tommy Paul in three sets.
Carlos Alcaraz lost to Tommy Paul in three sets. Photo: AP
Alcaraz is surprised despite match point
Earlier in the day, nineteen-year-old Alcaraz, who had a bye in the first round, lost in three sets against Paul, six years older: 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7) and 3-6. The number four in the world had to give in after 3 hours and 24 minutes.
Alcaraz looked on his way to an easy win when he took a 3-0 lead in the second set. Paul then fought back and pulled out a tiebreak. In it, the Spaniard lost a match point at a score of 7-6, after which the American struck on his second set point.
In the deciding set, Alcaraz handed in his serve early and did not undo that break deficit. Paul left four match points in the eighth game, but the global number 34 finished the job in the next game on his own service.
Alcaraz played his first match on hard court against Paul since the beginning of April. Then he won the final of the Masters tournament in Miami. The teenager also won the clay tournaments in Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Madrid this season. At Roland Garros he stranded in the quarterfinals and at Wimbledon in the eighth finals.
Later in the day, Botic van de Zandschulp comes into action in the second round. The Dutchman will compete against ninth-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon.
Tommy Paul is number 34 in the world.
Tommy Paul is number 34 in the world. Photo: AFP