Nick Kyrgios smashes rackets as US Open run ended by Khachanov in quarter-finals

After reaching the Wimbledon final, Kyrgios arrived in New York motivated to try to go one better but he was unable to find the same tremendous level he showed in beating defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round.

Instead it is Russian Khachanov who progresses to a first slam semi-final after clinching a 7-5 4-6 7-5 6-7 (3) 6-4 victory just before 1am.

Having congratulated Khachanov, Kyrgios showed his frustration with the result by destroying two rackets and then walking swiftly off court.

Aussie left to rue missed opportunity

Kyrgios and Khachanov were tied at 1-1 in their previous meetings on the court while, off the court, they were involved in a Twitter spat two years ago over player behaviour during the coronavirus pandemic, with Kyrgios labelling his rival an “absolute pelican”.

After the high of his performance against Medvedev on Sunday, Kyrgios looked a little flat in the early stages of this contest.

He took a medical timeout after losing the opening set for treatment on his left knee, having complained to his box that he could not walk.

The Australian roused himself to take the second set and it was clear the third was crucial in determining how the match would go.

Kyrgios had two chances to break at 4-4 but could not take either, hurling his racket angrily after the second.

Khachanov missed a glorious chance to break in the next game with Kyrgios losing focus but shanked a forehand wide from on top of the net.

However, more chances arrived in the next Kyrgios service game and this time the Russian converted, leaving his furious opponent to rant at his box and earn a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after slamming a drinks bottle on the ground.

The 27-year-old has already been fined a total of 18,500 US dollars (approximately £16,000) for four separate offences this tournament, including spitting, swearing and smashing his racket.

Kyrgios was staring down the barrel late in the fourth set but then pulled out a brilliant tie-break to force a decider.

The crowd were firmly on Kyrgios’ side but Khachanov was determined not to let his opportunity slip away and broke serve in the opening game.

Kyrgios pressed hard to get back on level terms but Khachanov, ranked 31, resisted all the way to the finish line to set up a semi-final clash with Casper Ruud, who defeated Matteo Berrettini earlier.

Garcia outguns Gauff

Caroline Garcia feels she has finally found her path in tennis after powering her way past Coco Gauff and into her first grand slam semi-final at the US Open.

Eleven years after Andy Murray predicted Garcia would be world number one when, as a 17-year-old, she led Maria Sharapova at Roland Garros, the Frenchwoman is in the form of her life.

Gauff has also had a great summer but she had no answer to the unerring ball striking of Garcia, who will take on her former junior rival Ons Jabeur in the last four after a 6-3 6-4 victory.

“It was definitely a challenge,” said Garcia of the expectations placed on her shoulders. “When it was 2011 after the Sharapova match, it was a lot of pressure coming from actually nowhere. I was 150, 200 in the world, 17-years-old. My game was not ready.

“The weeks after I went back trying to play the same level, but it was not possible for me. It was tough because people were expecting a lot. But the game, I was not ready for anything of that. It took me some time to come step by step to the top.

“End of 2017, 2018 was a great year, a lot of success. We made some mistakes. I really hope and I think we learn from it. Now it’s a new year, trying to learn from every challenge. I think I grow up a lot with all the challenges on and off court.”

Garcia reached her first grand slam quarter-final five years ago and in 2018 hit a high of fourth in the world rankings, but there had been significantly more downs than ups since.

She was ranked 75th in mid-June when she headed to the grass courts of Bad Homburg in Germany and went on to pick up her first title in three years.

Coached for most of her career by her father Louis Paul, Garcia has thrived under new coach Bertrand Perret and arrived in New York buoyed by two further titles – on clay in Warsaw and the big hard-court event in Cincinnati.

Back in the top 20, Garcia has ridden that wave at Flushing Meadows and this win made it 13 consecutive victories.

What makes the Frenchwoman stand out is her determination to take the ball early. Gauff hit a 128 miles per hour serve in the second round but Garcia was standing on or inside the baseline to return and drilling the ball into the corners or at her opponent’s feet.

“I’m just trying to focus on my game, on what I like to do, how is the best way for me to play tennis,” said Garcia. “The path is very clear right now, which direction I have to go, under stress, under pressure. I’m just trying to follow this path.”

Gauff rallied after losing the first four games but was unable to really make life uncomfortable for Garcia, who dug herself out of the tight moments impeccably.

At 18, time is very much on Gauff’s side, and she will crack the top 10 for the first time after following up her maiden slam final at the French Open with a first quarter-final in New York.

The teenager said: “Her level was great. I knew it was going to be great coming in. I feel I didn’t play at the level I needed to to come out with the win today. Overall I’m super proud of myself on this tournament. But I’m hungry for more. So maybe next year.”

Earlier, Jabeur became the first African woman to reach the US Open semi-finals in the open era with a 6-4 7-6 (4) victory over Serena Williams’ conqueror Ajla Tomljanovic.

There were some moments of frustration for the Tunisian, who threw her racket several times, but she battled back from 5-3 down in the second set.

Jabeur said with a smile: “I apologise for my behaviour really. I wanted to keep calm but the racket kept slipping away from my hand.”

After reaching the Wimbledon final she is again close to a maiden slam title, and she said: “Definitely I believe more in myself. I made it to the final at Wimbledon so I believe I can make it another time. I know that I have it in me that I can win a grand slam.”