‘Good call’: Thrilling moment Nick Kyrgios asks a FAN what his next move on the court should be as he enjoys a second straight win at Wimbledon
- Nick Kyrgios wins second Wimbledon clash against Italian, Gianluca Mager
- He served a staggering 29 aces to win second-round match in straight sets
- Kyrgios was being coached by a fan, taking crowd interaction to a new level
- For match point, Kyrgios asked the crowd member where to serve, and won
The extraordinary Nick Kyrgios show is rolling on with smiles and a serving masterclass as the Australian ‘holidaymaker’ enjoyed his second Wimbledon win in two days.
Kyrgios, who reckoned he was suffering physically from his draining first round win over Ugo Humbert on Wednesday, didn’t show it as he returned 24 hours later to blow away a spirited and potentially dangerous challenge from Italian Gianluca Mager 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 6-4.
It was a victory which came with plenty of laughs and smiles – from both the player and his adoring fan club on Court No.3 – as well as an obscenity, for which Kyrgios was instantly forgiven as he apologised profusely.
He even appeared to discover a new coach as he enjoyed great rapport with a fan sitting at courtside who was doling out advice.
Taking crowd interaction to a new level, he’d asked where everyone thought he should hit his next serve and his new mentor shouted back, ‘Down the middle!’
So he did – and instantly served an ace.
Nick Kyrgios found a new coach during his second-round clash as he asked a fan (pictured) where to serve on match point, before beating Gianluca Mager with an ace
‘Good call!’ he responded, turning and pointing at his new guru.
Even his first set four-letter outburst after he’d blown a point, which saw him earn a code violation, was laughed off when he said sorry.
Even when disputing fairly good-naturedly a foot fault awarded against him, he finished off his argument with the official by booming down another ace.
Kyrgios (pictured with his girlfriend, Chiara Passari) travelled to Wimbledon only four days before the tournament, with his last competition being in February
No wonder he was in such a good mood as the triumph was also carved out with the most fantastic display of serving as the man from Canberra pounded down 29 aces and didn’t give up a single break point in the hugely entertaining one hour 51 minute contest.
He kept up his usual running commentary with himself – and anyone else who was prepared to listen – chuntering away about how the court was as slow as the Roland Garros clay.
‘Make it real grass!’ he shouted, unimpressed that he’d got no reward for one of his 209kph-plus serves which whistled back with interest from the Italian world No.77.
In his clash on July 2 he was as animated as ever, keeping up with his own running commentary and inviting fans to openly tell him where to serve before booming aces
Once again, it was impossible not to marvel at how a man who was playing his first event since February and had arrived four days before Wimbledon could produce such amazing shotmaking, like the impossible running drop shot played on the retreat miles behind the baseline.
Then there was the moment he chased down a drop shot with the cry that ‘I haven’t stretched that much in six months!’
The next extra in his show will be either Sweden’s Mikael Ymer or Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who were locked in battle for a third-round place on Thursday.