A knee without tape, a first-round passage without incident, Australia’s top-ranked man back at home on his favourite court, Hisense Arena. Nick Kyrgios continued his unbeaten start to 2018 with an emphatic straight-sets defeat of world No.100 Rogerio Dutra Silva on Monday night.
In Brisbane, Kyrgios won his fourth career title, and first in Australia, to open a season he would dearly love to continue as the first home-grown men’s champion at Melbourne Park since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
Optimistic? Yes. Impossible? Absolutely not.
By dominating Brazil’s Dutra Silva 6-1 6-2 6-4 in 87 minutes, Kyrgios did all that he had to, and most of it very well. While the two highest-ranked seeds have already been eliminated from his quarter, No.8 Jock Sock and US Open finalist Kevin Anderson, none of those remaining will relish the thought of playing the No.17.
MORE: All the latest scores and results
“I’m just excited to be back in Melbourne. A couple of years ago on this court I made a quarterfinal, so I’m just trying to emulate that and go a bit further,’’ Kyrgios said, admitting the performance was “definitely up there” with his best Open first rounds.
He did not, he believed, play as well as in Brisbane, yet nevertheless took great confidence from a lead-up that included a fighting win over world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov on Pat Rafter Arena. “Hopefully I can continue to improve and find my feet out here.’’
A hectic week included a detour to the Fast4 exhibition in Sydney and various sponsor commitments, but it seems that all is well in the Kyrgios world. Not least the presence of partner Ajla Tomljanovic, who plays 29th seed Lucie Safarova on Tuesday after missing last year’s tournament with shoulder issues.
“Had my girlfriend’s company in the room, so it’s been all right,’’ Kyrgios quipped. “It’s just good to have her back on tour.’’
The Canberran joined the national No.2 Matt Ebden and Davis Cup teammate John Millman among the last 64, having extended his perfect first-round record at Melbourne Park to six.
The Melbourne quarterfinal run in 2015 was the equal of his barnstorming effort past Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon the previous year as his best at major level. Then, he was young, fearless, refreshing. He remains a compelling figure, if also more controversial and complicated, yet one senses progress being made.
Last year it all ended badly, and controversially, in the second round, against Andreas Seppi, when a two-sets-to-love lead evaporated and a belligerent, provocative media conference left heads shaking.
Now there is a fair bit more cautious nodding going on. There is the feeling that, yes, Kyrgios seems to be in a better place; more calm, settled and controlled, and ready to become the player his prodigious talent is almost challenging him to be.
Talent won this time. Dutra Silva was simply overwhelmed by the power and pace of the Kyrgios game. The Brazilian journeyman was broken in the fourth game, and the sixth, lost the first set in 28 minutes, the second in 23, and, inevitably, the match.
Dutra Silva is an advertisement for perseverance, but had nothing to hurt Kyrgios. Not on the Australian’s serve, and not on his own. He is at a career-high ranking at the age of 33, but Kyrgios is in another class. When the Australian can keep it all together emotionally, he is one of the most brilliant players in the game.
Monday’s angst was limited to a small outburst in the first set, when Kyrgios criticised chair umpire Fergus Murphy for not cracking down earlier on a disruptive fool in the crowd. But, otherwise, this was clinical and controlled, relaxed and easy, and the ideal entree to a second round clash with 65th-ranked Viktor Troicki, who was once as high as No.12.
Kyrgios won the only previous meeting, last year in Montreal.
"I know what he's going to bring. He's a tough competitor. He plays well in Grand Slams. I'm not going to think about it too much,'' said Kyrgios of the "tricky" opponent who recovered from a two-sets-to-love deficit against Australian wildcard Alex Bolt.
"He's got a good serve. He has a great backhand. He's a journeyman. He's been on the tour for a long time. Won a lot of matches. In the Grand Slams, he's made the fourth round a lot of times.''
