- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The unseeded pairing of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are just two wins away from an extraordinary men’s doubles grand slam title after a crazy quarterfinal that had everything.
Kia Arena was a cacophony of noise as the ‘Special Ks’ took the opening set against No.6 seeds in German Tim Puetz and New Zealand’s Michael Venus.
Kyrgios was perhaps a little too pumped up when he smashed a ball into the ground which went directly into the crowd and struck 9-year-old Fin Crane.
Crane put on a brave face and Kyrgios gave him a present for his troubles.
This is 9-year-old Fin Crane! Thankfully, he’s all ok after getting accidentally cleaned up after errant ball flew into the crowd at the Kyrgios/Kokkinakis match – @NickKyrgios made sure he goes home with a nice souvenir! What a little legend #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/VntUaJa0T7
— Clint Stanaway (@cstanaway) January 25, 2022
There was a lot of tension and passion on display from all four players and the shot clock was again a talking point with Kyrgios taking aim at what he saw as inconsistencies about when the shot clock starts.
The umpire had her work cut out trying to keep the vocal crowd in check.
Umpire: Please don't make any noise
Crowd: SIIIIIUUUUUUUUUUUU#AusOpen – Live on Channel 9 and 9Now pic.twitter.com/Q2m9OZCohP— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 25, 2022
The no.6 seeds hit back in the match and took it to a decider.
There was plenty of drama late in the second set when the German Puetz stopped his service motion a number of times because of the crowd noise.
The Aussie pair thought it was excessive how many times he stopped but the umpire said it was justified.
“You can’t serve when the crowd is going like this,” Mark Philippoussis said in commentary.
Nick Kyrgios is NOT happy ???? as Puetz and Venus hold on to take it to a decider!
Anything could happen from here ????#AusOpen – Live on Channel 9 and 9Now pic.twitter.com/7HzIwccLgb
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 25, 2022
The Australians held their nerve and got the break in the third set.
Nick Kyrgios had the job of serving out the match and he delivered to pull off another upset win and proving that two singles players can be a force in doubles.
“I’m not finished, I want to win this f***ing thing,” Kyrgios said post-match.
His teammate urged fans to “sink piss and come down” for Thursday’s semi.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie ????????@tkokkinakis & @nickkyrgios reach their first Grand Slam semifinal with a 7-5 3-6 6-3 upset over No.6 seeds Tim Puetz & Michael Venus.#AusOpen · #AO2022
????: @wwos · @espn · @eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/5NEQrJWGZM— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2022
Earlier, tennis fans have had a field day on social media after some strange scheduling decisions from Channel Nine who had to juggle a men’s quarterfinal as well as the doubles.
Initially, Channel Nine had the Rafael Nadal-Denis Shapovalov game on their main channel with a reminder to fans that they could watch the Kyrgios doubles match on the 9Now streaming service.
Fans pointed out that in the first week of the tournament the Nine Network were showing multiple games on their other channels outside of streaming including 9Gem and 9GO depending on where you were in Australia.
But with fewer matches on in the second week of the tournament Nine chooses not to use its multi-channels.
.@Channel9 how exactly have you got the @AustralianOpen telecast rights, multiple channels and currently only broadcasting one game? No live telecast of the Kyrgios Kokkinakis doubles match but you can watch Baby & the Battleship from 1956 on Gem ????#AusOpen #AustralianOpen2022
— MelB (@MKB27) January 25, 2022
With a backlash on social media, the Nadal quarterfinal was then replaced by the Kyrgios doubles and Nine did their best to keep fans updated on both matches but it infuriated tennis fans.
Nadal and Shapovalov are back on RLA for the third set of their QF but Channel 9 are sticking with the Kokkinakis-Kyrgios doubles match…the secondary channels are instead showing Baby and the Battleship (1956) and Everybody Loves Raymond ????#AusOpen
— Oliver Caffrey (@ollycaffrey) January 25, 2022
Ridiculous for the FTA rights holder to bump a QF to streaming only in the middle of the match @wwos. Do better. #AusOpen https://t.co/AjHViVfsUJ
— Neil McMahon (@NeilMcMahon) January 25, 2022
Ch 9: Richard Attenborough > Nadal pic.twitter.com/CYXpQXvRU2
— Oliver Caffrey (@ollycaffrey) January 25, 2022
There was drama on both courts with Shapovalov accusing the umpire of being corrupt in his match against Nadal.
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.