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Nick Kyrgios has his swagger back and Australia have a commanding 2-0 lead after a perfect opening day in their Davis Cup tie with the Czech Republic at Kooyong.
Kyrgios defeated lowly ranked Jan Satral on Friday 6-2 6-3 6-2, after debutant Jordan Thompson surged to a straight-sets victory over Czech No.1 Jiri Vesely.
For Thompson, the feeling was exultation.
On his Davis Cup debut, the 22-year-old won a high-pressure rubber 6-3 6-3 6-4, kissing his tattoo of an Australian coat of arms in celebration before calling it “the best feeling in my life”.
Kyrgios – and Australian tennis fans – probably just felt relief.
In his first match after his second-round Australian Open capitulation to Andreas Seppi, Kyrgios made light work of the world No.157.
He won the first three games of each set to keep Satral at arm’s reach.
Kyrgios wasn’t at his exuberant best.
There were moments of show – a look-away drop-volley effort and an enormous, but redundant, smash that came after the linesman had called the ball out – but on the whole, this was a business-like Kyrgios on display.
The world No.15 slammed 21 aces, with his best clocked at 223km/h on a sunny Melbourne day.
“That’s my main weapon,” Kyrgios said after the 94-minute win.
“I’m always trying to develop that part of my game … that’s what I’m aiming to do every match.”
Kyrgios admitted to some uncertainty before taking the court.
“I had a week in Miami (after the Open) and flew back so I didn’t have that long to prepare – about five days,” he said.
“There were some pre-match nerves. I haven’t played that many matches in 2017.
“It’s never easy playing a guy you don’t know that well. He had nothing to lose.”
While Thompson needed a little over two hours, his victory was no less impressive.
Thompson, ranked 65th in the world, looked right at home in the green and gold as he broke world No.54 Vesely in the opening game of the match.
The Australian barely lost a point on his serve in the first set and, ahead 5-3, used his main weapon – a booming crosscourt forehand – to wrap up it up in 35 minutes.
Never-say-die captain Lleyton Hewitt would have been impressed particularly with one stat: Thompson lost just one point off his second serve all match.
Thompson briefly lost his way in the third set, losing his serve for the first time in the match, but hit straight back to break Vesely once more and serve out the match with an ace to Hewitt’s delight.
Hewitt praised both his singles winners.
“Jordan handled the situation and played some of his best tennis against a really quality player,” he said.
“It’s not easy for these top guys (like Nick) to come out and win in straight sets like everyone expects them to.”
The wins mean Australia can seal a quarter-final berth with Switzerland or the United States with a win in Saturday’s doubles rubber.
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