sport news Calmer Nick Kyrgios could go all the way at Wimbledon after showing class of a ... trends now
'Good game the other day,' Nick Kyrgios observed to a line judge as he prepared for the tennis match which saw him breeze into Wimbledon's Third Round, earlier on Thursday.
This was no casual court-side encounter. The grey-haired official of more mature years was one of those subjected to some of worst of the Australian's ire, during the three hours of personalised abuse he dished out while overcoming Britain's Paul Jubb, two days ago.
The individual in question looked bemused and slightly unsettled by this face-to-face encounter, though the spectators who heard laughed along heartily with Kyrgios.
Nick Kyrgios can progress far at Wimbledon and provide a lift if he can find the temperament
Judging by the evidence of the tetchy press conference the 27-year-old gave last night, he is nursing a profound sense of victimhood about the fact his behaviour during the Jubb match earned him a negative press.
But the fact that the line judge was there seemed to demonstrate that the All England club will not be cowed by Kyrgios' criticism of its judges. It is not in the business of appointing him new ones.
The performance which ensued from Kyrgios provided a graphic sense that he can progress far here and provide a magnificent lift for these championships, if he can only find the temperament.
He delivered a devastating showing to beat Filip Krajinovic in straight sets in the second round
It was a performance of devastating serving power, in which Serbian Filip Krajinovic took 37 minutes to win a single point from the Australian's delivery. The first two sets were wrapped up in 58 minutes, at which stage Kyrgios had sent down 17 aces.
There was a blend of touch and power which cohered and calmed the Australian's interior mind. The liquid drop shot he possesses was deployed in abundance. His power on the forehand side eviscerated Krajinovic. This is precisely why Kyrgios he has twice defeated Novak Djokovic and is a former Queens finalist.
Everyone is his friend when things are swinging along. He nodded in agreement and declaring 'yes' when Krajinovic challenged a line call, observing 'good shot' when it was resolved in his opponent's favour.
Fleetingly, in the course of the brutal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
