HIGH-FIVES

Calm Kyrgios Downs Nakashima To Set Up Quarterfinal Clash With Garin, Who Comes From Two Sets Down To Beat De Minaur

- Prajwal Hegde

IN REACH: Kyrgios overcame American Nakashima in five sets despite a shoulder injury

London: Nick Kyrgios came out flatter than a squashed pancake for his Wimbledon fourth-round clash on Saturday. Gone was the swagger, the salty strain of 48-hours ago. The schoolyard bully. The gratuitous theatre. The talk that drowned the tennis.

There may have been an attempt at an underarm serve as early as the fourth game of the opening act, for which his 20-yearold opponent was more than ready for. But outside of the medical attention he needed on his right shoulder blade, he went about his business quietly, for as long as he could hold the calm.

After American Brandon Nakashima levelled set scores in the fourth-set, the 27-year-old had a meltdown of sorts when he lost a hawkeye challenge. Kyrgios told the umpire the only reason he had used a challenge was because he had told him that it was a close one. The reverse fired up Kyrgios, who then broke again in the seventh game. He had finally found the enemy, the magic potion that hauled him across the finish line.

Kyrgios came through 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2 sending down 35 aces and with a total winners count of 79 to move into the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time since he made the last-eight here on his debut in 2014. On Wednesday he plays Chile’s Cristian Garin, who battled back from match-point down to beat Aussie Alex de Minaur, the 19th seed, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (10-6) in 4-hours and 34-minutes.