Nick Kyrgios has kept his cool to outlast a hot-tempered Stefanos Tsitsipas and seal victory for Australia in their ATP Cup clash with Greece in Brisbane on Tuesday night.
World No.30 Kyrgios returned from injury to claim a 7-6 (9-7) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5) win lasting more than two-and-a-half hours at Pat Rafter Arena that was marred by an extraordinary meltdown by Tsitsipas.
After losing the first set, the world No.6 slammed his racquet into the bench, accidentally clipping his father and Greece captain Apostolos Tsitsipas on the forearm.
His unimpressed dad walked away briefly before Tsitsipas’s mother Julia emerged from the crowd to stand behind the bench and give her son a dressing down for his behaviour.
It appeared to have little effect with Tsitsipas then receiving a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct early in the second set when he smashed a ball into his unfortunate bench, this time just missing his dad.
That was enough for his father, who relocated behind the court-side bench for the rest of the match as Tsitsipas’ mum returned to give her son another spray.
All eyes were on Kyrgios to see if he would be on his best behaviour after starting the year with a suspended 16-match ban hanging over his head.
But the former world No.13 looked like a choirboy compared to the hot tempered Tsitsipas on Tuesday night.
He held his nerve to give Australia an unbeatable 2-0 lead, ensuring the hosts have won all three ties to date.
Kyrgios missed the last tie against Canada with a back complaint but stepped up as Australia’s No.1 player on Tuesday after world No.18 Alex de Minaur was rested against Greece.
Earlier, John Millman drew first blood for Australia when he outlasted a gutsy Michail Pervolarakis 4-6 6-1 7-6 (7-1).
World No.48 Millman had to dig deep against an opponent ranked 438 places lower than him who was also battling an ankle complaint from the second set.
De Minaur was rested for Australia, who have already secured top spot in Group F and a quarter-finals berth in Sydney following wins over Germany and Canada.