By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 7, 2016
Nick Kyrgios cracked 18 aces and did not drop serve dethroning three-time defending champion John Isner, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), to win his second career title in Atlanta.
Photo credit: Getty
Thunder rumbled in the distance and John Isner's service blasts banged off the back wall.
Nick Kyrgios managed both the ominous elements and oppressive serve masterfully.
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Fighting off triple-break point in the opening game, Kyrgios did not drop serve outdueling three-time defending champion Isner, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), in the Atlanta final to capture his second career title.
Kyrgios opted to skip the Rio Olympics to launch his US Open Series here. He did so in style, snapping the former Georgia all-American's 15-match winning streak in Atlanta.
"Obviously, I know serving is very crucial against John," Kyrgios told ESPN's Brad Gilbert afterward. "I couldn't have come out slower. I gained a lot of confidence obviously coming out of that game. It would have been a completely different story if he had gotten me that game."
Kyrgios crunched 18 aces and saved all four break points he faced—three in his opening service game and one in his final service game—winning 50 of his 52 service games in the tournament.
It was Kyrgios' first championship since he defeated Richard Gasquet, Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic in succession to win his maiden ATP crown in Marseille in February.
Hunched over on the changeover late in the opening set, Isner looked like a marathoner depleted by the rigors of the race while knowing he wasn't anywhere near the finish line.
Drained by his 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 semifinal victory over wild card Reilly Opelka that ended about 9:30 last night, Isner looked weary at the outset today. The man who carried an 11-1 tie break record in Atlanta into this week's event, dropped the last three breakers he played this week.
Searing heat and the rapid play of Kyrgios, who wastes no time between points and sometimes summoned the ball kids to feed him fresh balls faster, both took a toll on the big man.
"Conditions were tough all week hot and humid against John it's gonna be tough wherever you play him," Kyrgios said. "He's been top 20 for so long, I don't know how long, before I was born."
Kyrgios cracked a 126 mph ace down the middle leveling at 5-all.
Consistently whipping the wide serve, Isner issued another love hold for 6-5.
The 21-year-old Aussie opened the tie break snatching the mini-break bursting out to a 3-0 lead.
A listless Isner struggled to bend for the low slice. Kyrgios used the slice to set up a searing forehand winner down the line for 4-0.
Zapping an ace down the middle, Kyrgios extended the lead to 6-1 at the 49-minute mark. Isner saved two set points on his serve.
On the third set point, Kyrgios cranked his 10th ace down the middle sealing the 51-minute opener.
By then, Kyrgios had won 44 of his 46 service games in the tournament.
Floating cloud cover provided some shade from the sun as Isner, who left the court for a bathroom break, returned wearing a fresh red shirt.
It was the second time in history the top two seeds squared off in the final.
The top-seeded Isner dug in and fought back from 15-30 down to hold for 5-all in the second set.
When Kyrgios netted a backhand, Isner gained the lone break point of the second set. Kyrgios erased it with a service winner, smacked a 126 mph ace and held with another serve winner for 6-5.
The only real lapse Kyrgios suffered came in the tie break when he missed a pair of jumping backhands reminiscent of a young Marcelo Rios. Those two errors gave Isner the mini break and a 3-2 lead.
The big man gave it right back slinging a double-fault wide then pushing a backhand volley deep.
Kyrgios slashed his 18th ace for three championship points.
On the second championship point, Isner coughed up his sixth double fault to end the one hour, 46-minute final.