Washington Open: Nick Kyrgios asks fan for advice on where to play match-point serve (VIDEO)
Tennis fans usually get their money's worth during a Nick Kyrgios match but one supporter in particular made a significant impact in his Washington Open semi-final, telling the Australian ace where to serve on match point.
Kyrgios defeated top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets (6-3, 3-6, 7-6) at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center to advance to the tournament final - his fourth win against a top-ten ranked player this year.
The match was concluded in typically novel fashion, as Kyrgios sought an audience with a courtside fan ahead of a match point, seemingly asking the spectator where he should place his serve.
Also on rt.com ‘It slipped out of my hand!’ Tennis bad boy Kyrgios hurls water bottle at umpire’s chair (VIDEO)Repeating the gimmick he introduced in his quarter-final victory against Norbert Gombos, Kyrgios duly won the tie-break point to secure victory and advance to the final where he will take on Russia's Daniil Medvedev.
Despite coming off second best in the match, Tsitsipas was complimentary to Kyrgios and said that the ATP Tour needs characters like him to increase the global popularity of the sport.
"Some people love him, some people hate him," Tsitsipas said of the controversial player.
"I believe we need people like him in the game otherwise things become too serious."
Nick's trick 🙌@NickKyrgios squeaks by Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the @CitiOpen final, 6-4 3-6 7-6(7). #CO19pic.twitter.com/9g8y6VPnx8
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 4, 2019
In another light-hearted moment during the match, Tsitsipas asked his coach for new shoes but it was Kyrgios who ran to the side of court to collect them and promptly deliver them to Tsitsipas' chair court-side.
Kyrgios has gained a reputation in recent months for being one of tennis' more colorful characters, a reputation built on his irreverence on the court, his abrasive language and numerous disputes with chair umpires.
However, despite a serious of controversial incidents Kyrgios' reputation is developing among tennis fans as being something a breath of fresh air in a sport considered by some to be overly-straight and officious.
Also on rt.com Tennis rebel Kyrgios in YET ANOTHER meltdown… but delights young fan by giving him smashed racket"This week has been awesome. It’s probably one of the best tournament weeks of my life," Kyrgios said after the match.
"I've really enjoyed myself. D.C. has been a lot of fun. Crowds have been awesome, but I’m just doing the right things. I’m having the same routine every day. I'm trying to improve on a lot of little habits, and it's paying off. Five days in a row competing, I’m pretty happy with myself."
