When a 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios stepped into the world sporting spotlight with a win over world No.1 Rafael Nadal on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2014, it was clear he belonged on a big stage.
Soon adding to that quarterfinal run with another at the Australian Open in 2015, Kyrgios showcased a big serve and flashy hitting with an even bolder personality that held a fascinating appeal.
If there were times when the spotlight burned too brightly for the young Australian, there were also many important lessons to absorb. Through some difficult losses and testing experiences, the 22-year-old has seemingly emerged with the composure to complement his sublime skill.
And with not an ounce of that big stage appeal lost. Kyrgios has arguably never shone as brightly in the eyes of the Australian public as he has this summer, with his first title claimed on home soil in Brisbane followed by a near-flawless campaign so far at Melbourne Park.
Straight-sets win over Rogerio Dutra Silva and Viktor Troicki on Hisense Arena were followed by a potentially career-defining one, as Kyrgios outclassed childhood idol Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four superb-quality sets for his first victory at Rod Laver Arena.
That he could manage both the pressure of an expectant home crowd and the nerves of Hollywood superstar – and another idol – in Will Smith watching from the edge of the court is a measure of the “new” Nick. “When I saw him [Smith] out here, I was so nervous,” he laughed. “I just wanted him to think I was cool.”
This Australian Open is also about keeping cool in other ways for Kyrgios, who takes a level head into a tantalising fourth round match against Grigor Dimitrov. “It’s going to be tough … obviously he’s one of the best players in the world,” said Kyrgios, referencing the world No.3’s “unbelievable year” that culminated with his biggest career title at the elite ATP Finals.
“It’s best of five sets, I think that favours (Grigor) a lot,” he added. “He’s very comfortable, he’s a great athlete. He’s a good friend of mine as well. I’m sure we’ll both be looking forward to it.”
It’s perhaps not surprising that Kyrgios and Dimitrov would share a camaraderie, given the common ground they share.
Supremely gifted but at times struggling to match ability with expectations, the 26-year-old Dimitrov has kept a level head in his eighth Australian Open campaign. He withstood a surprising second-round test against American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald, eking out an 8-6 victory in the fifth set.
There was also a difficult third-round assignment against Andrey Rublev, in which the eight-time ATP titlist admitted he “had to find a way” to defeat the fast-rising Russian in four sets.
Dimitrov takes both confidence-boosting memories and potentially troubling ones into a fourth career meeting with Kyrgios. While he won over the Australian at Indian Wells in 2015 and in a first ATP Masters final last year in Cincinnati, the Bulgarian surrendered a first-set lead in the semifinals of Brisbane, where he was the defending champion.
Equally, the five-set semifinal battle with Nadal that many regarded as the best match of AO2017 is both a reminder of Dimitrov’s potential, and that he is yet to fully deliver on it.
Still, the sense that each man can each improve on the stunning ability they’ve shown so far is what makes their AO fourth round so intriguing. “I'm very excited to just play, to go out there and compete,” said Dimitrov. “I appreciate my wins now. To get to play another day, I mean, this itself should get you already in a different mind-set coming into whoever you got to play.”
Caroline Wozniacki, the No.2 seed in the woman’s draw, is similarly grateful that her Australian Open campaign goes on. Match points saved against Jana Fett in the second round, Wozniacki had seemingly turned a corner as she eased past Kiki Bertens in straight sets.
“It was definitely a little bit easier today than it was the other day. I'm going to take it and move forward,” said the Dane, who now faces Magdalena Rybarikova for a quarterfinal place.
Boasting a 3-1 head-to-head record against the 19th-seed from Slovakia, Wozniacki also competes with the knowledge that her former world No.1 ranking is again within reach.
Audiences can expect commanding performances from these big stage stars. Having warmed up superbly, there are even bigger main acts ahead.