Friday 19 / April / 2024
Melbourne: Home hope Nick Kyrgios launched his Australian Open campaign with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 demolition of Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva on Monday to continue his bright start to the year.
The volatile 17th seed was on his best behaviour and let his racket do the talking as he treated his fans in the Hisense Arena to an impressive opening salvo.
Kyrgios, one of nine Australian men to start in the main draw, is shouldering his nation's hopes of a first home men's champion since 1976 and could not have asked for a better start.
He wrapped up the opening two sets in 51 minutes and was never seriously troubled until the third set when the 100th ranked Dutra Silva provided some stiffer resistance.
Kyrgios, who was jeered by the home crowd last year when he lost a second-round match from two sets up against Italian Andreas Seppi, will face Serbia's Viktor Troicki next.
The 22-year-old warmed up for the Australian Open by winning the Brisbane title -- his first on home soil.
