Nick Kyrgios ‘devastated’ after quarterfinal defeat to Karen Khachanov as he destroys two rackets on court
The No. 1 seed in the US Open lost a thrilling semifinal and a hard-fought match to world No. 10 Karen Khachanov in a thrilling quarterfinal.
Kyrgios was unable to close out the first set against the former top 10 player on a damp court, before an error sealed the win for Khachanov in a marathon third set that lasted more than two hours.
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“I was pretty good here in the other round, but at the end of these two,” said the Australian.
“I’ve lost a couple of games and I’ve got to stay focused, try to play my game and try to win this next one.”
For the American, he was in the mood to celebrate, as he closed out the final set with a break point that did not materialize.
“It feels good, but I’ve got to go back and fight. It was a hard one at the end,” said Kyrgios.
“I think it’s all going to be for next season. This was probably the toughest match I’ve had all year, and I played incredible.”
Athletics News of Kyrgios’ game was written by the Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Purdum.
Kyrgios said Khachanov is better than he thinks, noting that he lost to him in a five-setters at the 2014 US Open. Khachanov beat Kyrgios in three sets at the 2013 tournament in New York.
“I’ve always said that he’s very unpredictable, a hard hitter, and a guy that knows how to play in tough conditions,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve beaten him in a lot of tough tournaments and at US Open tournaments, but I didn’t know how hard it would
