Nick Kyrgios experienced what he described as some of the "craziest energy" of his Australian Open career on Friday night, teaming with Canadian star Leylah Fernandez to produce a stunning mixed doubles comeback victory.
Dramatic Super Tiebreak Seals Victory
The charismatic Australian and his accomplished partner survived three match points in a brilliant fightback, eventually prevailing 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 12-10 over the experienced pairing of Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski. The match featured dramatic momentum swings throughout, culminating in a tense super tiebreak that kept the ANZ Arena crowd on the edge of their seats.
Kyrgios Battles Through Injury Concerns
Despite sporting bandages on both knees and being too injured to compete in the singles tournament, the 30-year-old showman found his rhythm alongside Fernandez. Kyrgios had also been eliminated from the men's doubles competition with close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis just the previous night, making this mixed doubles performance particularly impressive given his physical limitations.
"That was some of the most craziest energy that I've had," Kyrgios reflected after the match. "I've obviously played some amazing matches at the AO but that's got to be one of my favourite ones."
Fernandez Praises Kyrgios' Leadership
The Canadian star, who like Kyrgios has reached a grand slam singles final, credited her partner's positive attitude for keeping them in contention during critical moments. "I felt like Nick was the most positive guy there," Fernandez said. "It was so cool, it was just a lot of fun. Nick brought the great energy and also the crowd."
Crowd Support Fuels Comeback Spirit
Kyrgios specifically highlighted the role of the enthusiastic Melbourne Park spectators in their remarkable recovery from being down 9-6 in the super tiebreak. "(We were) 9-6 down, 7-3. Realistically, tennis players don't always believe you can come back," he admitted. "But I was like, 'If we just went one at a time, maybe we can do it.' The crowd were amazing all day. They stayed, they hung around and it was amazing. I'm really excited for our next round."
Historic Implications for Opponent
The result carried significant historical weight for their opponent Desirae Krawczyk, derailing the American's bid for a career grand slam in mixed doubles. The 32-year-old had won each of the other three major mixed doubles titles in 2021 and successfully defended her Wimbledon crown the following year, making this Australian Open defeat particularly significant in her career trajectory.
Looking Ahead to Second Round Challenge
Both grand slam singles finalists can now continue dreaming of a major mixed doubles title at Melbourne Park. Their next challenge will come against either the British pairing of Olivia Nicholls and Henry Patten or the combination of Anna Danilina and JJ Tracy in the second round, with Kyrgios and Fernandez hoping to build on their dramatic first-round momentum.
