Kyrgios Survives 6 Match Points, Beats Tiafoe at Citi Open

Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action against Reilly Opelka of the US during their men's singles match at the Citi Open ATP tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC, US, 04 August 2022. (EPA)
Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action against Reilly Opelka of the US during their men's singles match at the Citi Open ATP tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC, US, 04 August 2022. (EPA)
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Kyrgios Survives 6 Match Points, Beats Tiafoe at Citi Open

Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action against Reilly Opelka of the US during their men's singles match at the Citi Open ATP tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC, US, 04 August 2022. (EPA)
Nick Kyrgios of Australia in action against Reilly Opelka of the US during their men's singles match at the Citi Open ATP tennis tournament at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington, DC, US, 04 August 2022. (EPA)

Kyrgios Survives 6 Match Points, Beats Tiafoe at Citi Open

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios fought off six match points during a second-set tiebreaker against hometown favorite Frances Tiafoe, then raced past him in the third set to win 6-7 (5), 7-6 (12), 6-2 at the Citi Open on Friday night.

In the first-ever meeting between the players, Kyrgios allowed the first set to slip away with some mental lapses, then frustrated Tiafoe during the lengthy second-set tiebreak, which concluded with the Maryland native slamming his racket onto the court and kicking it.

“Frances put himself in every position to win the match. You know, in those moments I wasn’t really thinking too much. I was just trying to stay in the match and I survived,” Kyrgios said “Then, you know, I felt like physically I was really fresh in the third set and served well.”

The hard-court US Open tuneup in Washington is the first tournament for Kyrgios since he lost in four sets to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. The mercurial Australian improved his match record this year to 21-7 and advanced to his fifth semifinal, where he will face Mikael Ymer, a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 winner over Sebastian Korda.

Kyrgios won his most recent ATP title in Washington in 2019.

Because of weather delays, top-seeded Andrey Rublev played two matches on Friday, winning them both. He rallied in a second-set tiebreak to beat Maxime Cressy 6-4, 7-6 (8) in the afternoon and then dispatched American wild card J.J. Wolf 6-2, 6-3 in the evening to reach the semifinals.

“It's part of the sport. I think that's the fun thing about it, that you don't know what to expect,” Rublev said. “Suddenly you will have two matches in one day.”

Rublev is seeking his fourth ATP title this year, which would draw him even with Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz for the most in 2022.

The Russian will play 96th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka, who beat Daniel Evans 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5.

Kyrgios also had to conclude his round-of-16 match on Friday afternoon but needed only 14 minutes to close out his 7-6 (1), 6-2 victory over Reilly Opelka.

“Playing Reilly this morning in the heat was not ideal. Came out fast and strong, got it done. Then I was able to just get some rest and eventually just pull through,” Kyrgios said. “An amazing match with Frances. I knew it was going to be crazy. I’m just glad that today’s over and I can get some rest.”

On the women's side, US Open champion Emma Raducanu failed to reach her first semifinal since her out-of-nowhere triumph at Flushing Meadows, losing to Liudmila Samsonova 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Fourth-seeded veteran Victoria Azarenka struggled in her second match of the day, falling 6-1, 6-3 to 95th-ranked Xiyu Wang. Azarenka endured an 80-minute first set to beat Tereza Martincova 7-6 (7), 6-2 earlier Friday.

World No. 88 Daria Saville of Australia also advanced to the semifinals, defeating Rebecca Marino 6-1, 7-5. Sixth-seeded Kaia Kanepi got past Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 33 minutes.



PSG Coach Luis Enrique Warns against Complacency in Club World Cup Final

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique speaks to media at a press conference at MetLife Stadium on Friday. FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique speaks to media at a press conference at MetLife Stadium on Friday. FRANCK FIFE / AFP
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PSG Coach Luis Enrique Warns against Complacency in Club World Cup Final

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique speaks to media at a press conference at MetLife Stadium on Friday. FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique speaks to media at a press conference at MetLife Stadium on Friday. FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Friday urged his team to round off the best season in the club's history by winning the Club World Cup, but warned not to expect Sunday's final against Chelsea to be a "simple formality".

"This is absolutely not going to be a simple formality," the Spanish coach insisted, refusing to accept that PSG are necessarily overwhelming favorites to lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium despite their fearsome form.

"I have analyzed Chelsea. They have a great squad. Enzo Maresca is doing a great job and I really like what he is doing," Luis Enrique said. "They are a very complete team."

PSG can complete a remarkable clean sweep of trophies with victory, having won a French league and cup double before claiming the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history at the end of May.

"We want to finish this historic season in the best possible way," said the former Barcelona coach.

"Now we must open the next chapter, win more major trophies. We want to make more history by winning on Sunday."

PSG were spellbinding at times in their 4-0 victory against Real Madrid in the semi-finals and also put four goals past Atletico Madrid and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami during the competition.

"But we have to win this game to round things off. However, in a final there is always a winner and a loser, and that doesn't mean the loser has necessarily done anything wrong," Luis Enrique added.

"We will lose again at some point, because that is what happens in top-level football, but I think the path is clear for everyone."

This is the first edition of the 32-team Club World Cup, and whoever wins on Sunday will be world champions for four years, with the next tournament scheduled to take place in 2029.

"We are aware of the importance of this match, that it is a golden opportunity to be in a World Cup final," said captain Marquinhos.

"This only happens every four years, and we don't know where we will be in four years."