By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 30, 2017
"I have had a diabolical year at these slams... It's just the story of my career, really," said Nick Kyrgios after his US Open first-round exit.
Photo credit: @USOpen
Howling in frustration as he trudged to his court-side seat, Nick Kygrios tossed his Yonex racquet then plopped in his chair while the Queen classic “Another One Bites the Dust” blared over the sound system in Louis Armstrong Stadium.
It was a fitting swan song for Kyrgios’ Grand Slam dirge.
Kyrgios: Commitment "Probably Not" Coming
Battling a cranky serving shoulder, severe mood swings and resolute compatriot John Millman, Kyrgios was tuned out of the US Open first round, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Perhaps the least surprised guy in the entire temporary Armstrong Stadium, was the tormented character, who continues to ride the rollercoaster of spikes, pratfalls and pain on the circuit.
“I have had a diabolical year at these slams. It doesn't surprise me,” Kyrgios said. “It's just the story of my career, really. I will have good weeks; I'll have bad weeks. It's just a roller-coaster.”
It was Millman's first career US Open win, but he wasn't celebrating at his friend's expense.
"I know in the back of my mind Nick’s shoulder deteriorated as the match went on," Millman said. "It’s a victory but slightly hollow. He’s a teammate I think on court he’s a good sport and good guy off the court and I feel for him I really do."
The 14th-seeded Kyrgios cruised through the second set, but began complaining of a dead arm early in the third set.
“My arm felt numb,” Kyrgios said. “What else do you want me to say? My arm is not broken, but it was sore.”
Despite the creaky shoulder, Kyrgios still cranked 17 aces and touched 139 mph on the radar gun, but he was clearly compromised by the start of the fourth set, taking to serving-and-volleying to shorten some points.
It wouldn't be a Kyrgios match without histrionics.
He smashed his Yonex racquet at one incurring a code violation and point penalty because it came after a third-set code violation for profanity, which Kyrgios debated with chair umpire Carlos Ramos.
"How can you give me a code?" Kyrgios asked Ramos. "I didn’t swear. You can’t give me a code you don’t even know what I said."
At times, the 22-year-old Aussie seems to commit more passion and effort to debating than competing.
A grim Kyrgios reflected on his “nightmare” season in a soul-baring post-match press conference.
“Obviously I'm not having a shocking year," Kyrgios said. "Obviously in this scheme of things I'm not having the greatest year for what maybe people, like I should have done, but, I mean, the last three months, I mean, has been a nightmare, really.
“I have said it before. I had such a good Indian Wells, Miami, and then Davis Cup, we had a good win over America, and then, you know, things just went downhill from there really… Obviously, I'm disappointed I lost today. It's not the end of the world. I will get over it in probably half an hour. I will get food and watch the matches. It is what it is.”
Departing New York presumably for rest and rehab, Kyrgios said Australia’s September 15-17th Davis Cup semifinal against host Belgium in Brussels remains a priority.
“Well, I've got time up my sleeve now,” Kyrgios said. “Obviously Davis Cup is one of my priorities this year. I put it right at the top of my list.
“I have put a lot of effort into Davis Cup this year. I obviously made myself available for every tie. You know, really bought in, really gave everything, we are doing so well. So, it is my goal to win the Davis Cup, so we'll see.”
Wishing Millman good luck in an encouraging post-match handshake, Kyrgios cleaned up the clutter littered around his seat—empty Evian bottles and banana peels—and tossed them in the trash retrieving his mangled stick from the trash.
Kyrgios tried to squeeze it in his racquet bag, but the distorted racquet would not fit. So he walked with contorted racquet in his right hand trying to make sense of a shattered Slam season.