Kyrgios schools de Minaur to reach Montreal quarter-finals, Ruud advances
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Nick Kyrgios beat Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP Montreal Masters.
MONTREAL (AFP) - Nick Kyrgios crushed fellow Australian Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP Montreal Masters.
Kyrgios carried on constant backchat with his player box, giving almost a running commentary of his state of mind on court in a display that seems second nature to him.
Nevertheless, the Wimbledon runner-up dominated in the all-Aussie match, winning the opening set at a clip of three minutes per game in a contest which took just 64 minutes.
The second-set pace was just as torrid, with Kyrgios breaking in the opening game.
He failed to serve out the win leading 5-2, missing on a drop shot and sending a forehand into the net.
But de Minaur lost the next game to love as Kyrgios prevailed in front of a packed-out stadium.
The winner of last week s Washington 500 series title suffered his only recent loss to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. Victory means he ll be in the top 30 next week, meaning a seeding at the US Open which starts on August 29.
"That was my goal, so I didn t have to play one of the (tennis) gods in the first round," Kyrgios said.
"Today was a tough one. there was a lot on the line. I m happy with the performance today.
"After beating (world number one Daniil) Medvedev yesterday, my confidence is incredibly high.
"It s never easy to play a friend, but against Alex I went out and got the job done, I played how I had to play," said Kyrgios who next faces eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz, a 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) winner over Albert Ramos.
Kyrgios has now won 15 of his last 16 singles matches, "The days are blending into each other," he said. "It s tiring but that s the sport."
He added: "I m missing home a lot but there are only a few more tournaments until I can go home and see my family."
- Rain refreshes Ruud -
Casper Ruud kept his title hopes alive as he duelled for more than three hours to overcome Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
The Norwegian, who at fourth is the highest seed still standing, said he regrouped during a 69-minute interruption as thunderstorms passed over the area after two sets had been completed.
He said time in the locker room was the perfect antidote for a game which had gone slightly stale as he battled the Spaniard.
"Thanks to the weather gods," he said. "It was a tough battle, the first two sets, two hours 20 minutes of good intensity.
"But I was feeling it a bit in the legs, it was tough to find my intensity. The rain gave me time to breathe and regain some energy."
Ruud wrapped up a long afternoon on his fourth match point, ending with 54 winners and 39 unforced errors.
"I m still surviving, there will be another match tomorrow and I ll try to survive it," added the seventh-ranked Ruud, who is the top target remaining after the second-round exits of Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Norwegian owns three titles this season with a match record of 37-13. He reached the Miami final in April but lost to Alcaraz.
He ll play Canadian sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who dispatched Britain s Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4.
Unseeded briton Jack Draper advanced, moving through when French veteran Gael Monfils retired with an injury while trailing 6-2, 0-2.
