Nick Kyrgios's Australian Open campaign has come to an end in the second round at the hands of Daniil Medvedev, with the world number two triumphing in four thrilling sets on Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev won 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in 2 hours and 58 minutes, the result moving him one step closer to his goal of lifting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup as the men's champion on January 30.
Kyrgios produced a display from which he can draw great pride.
He dug deep to fight his way back when trailing two sets to love, and one can only imagine how he would have fared if his Australian Open preparation had not been disrupted by a positive COVID-19 test.
Kyrgios's performance featured everything tennis fans have come to expect from the Canberran when he is on court: sublime rallies, tweeners, heated discussions with the chair umpire and the more than occasional comment to the crowd.
It was a performance that left the Australian smiling even if he didn't get the desired result and was a reminded of what he can do at his best.
"I thought I served consistently 220s (kilometres per hour) and played pretty well from the back (of the court), created plenty of opportunities on return games.
"I'm super proud of my performance today. From where I was with my struggles the last four, five months, to be feeling like this and — obviously having COVID-19 a couple days before — I'm just proud of the way I responded.
"I wouldn't have been able to do it without my team, as well. I'm going to hold my head high, I gave it everything, I put on a good performance."
As for his thoughts on the metronomic Medvedev, Kyrgios knew the calibre of the player he had just been beaten by.
Medvedev said Kyrgios again illustrated he was one of the most talented players in the men's game.
"He's somebody that can beat anybody, we know it," Medvedev said.
"Like, when we say 'anybody', it means anybody, including Rafa (Rafael Nadal), Roger (Federer), Novak (Djokovic) and any top-10 player, because he has a lot of motivation to do it. He wants to show this."
The match though was never wholly on the Medvedev racquet and the Australian started in brilliant fashion, sending down aces with two of his first three serves.
Kyrgios went 40-15 up when he crunched a backhand winner down the line, before closing out the game with a third ace.
Medvedev found himself on the back foot in his opening service game, with Kyrgios earning two break points. But the Russian served his way to safety to level the first set at 1-1.
It was then Kyrgios's turn to feel the pressure. He went down 0-40 in his second service game, however saved two break points, the second with an ace.
But when a Kyrgios forehand went long at 30-40, Medvedev had the crucial break, which the 2021 Australian Open finalist consolidated by winning his next service game to lead 3-1.
The crowd were being treated to Kyrgios's full armoury of serves, with a 225kph ace complemented by an underarm attempt as he looked to work his way back into the contest.
He won his next two service games and at 3-4 down enjoyed four break points, converting on the fourth to level the set.
With the set back on serve, neither player was able to snare a break in the next four games. A tiebreak was required to decide the set, which Medvedev claimed 7-1.
Games went on serve early in the second set, with at least one spectator loudly voicing his wish for Kyrgios to consider using his underarm tactic.
"I'm doing everything I can," an exasperated Kyrgios replied.
When he finally did opt for an underarm serve in the eighth game it did not have the desired effect, with Kyrgios losing the point.
He later faced a break point in the same game but recovered to hold for a 4-4 score line in the second set.
Trailing 4-5, Kyrgios found himself serving to stay in the second set. A double fault when serving at 15-30 coughed up two set points and while Kyrgios saved one, an errant backhand return handed the set to the reigning US Open champion.
The third set began in similar fashion to the second, with each player holding serve, but it turned on its head in the seventh game.
At 15-30, a stunning reflex backhand volley from Kyrgios near the net brought up two break points, a moment in the match celebrated by both the Australian and a boisterous home crowd.
Medvedev saved the first break point, but Kyrgios won the game with a crisp forehand winner down the line to establish a 4-3 lead.
He later served for the set at 5-4 and completed the assignment with a deft drop shot.
Kyrgios almost broke Medvedev immediately in the fourth set. He had a break point at 30-40 in the opening game, but it was wasted by a wayward crosscourt forehand, with Medvedev going on to hold.
Medvedev got the upper hand in in the sixth game by breaking Kyrgios with an outstanding backhand service return.
It left Kyrgios furious, illustrated when he smashed his racquet as he walked to his chair at the change of ends.
Medvedev could smell victory after holding serve for a 5-2 lead and proceeded to break Kyrgios again to claim victory.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
Live updates
By Michael Doyle
Medvedev 7 (7) 6 4 6
Kyrgios 6 (1) 4 6 2
By Michael Doyle
That is all from us this evening
Two and a bit hours of entertainment is what we were treated to this evening.
Nick Kyrgios put up a brave effort but ultimately fell short.
Daniil Medvedev is class and he showed it this evening.
Is he on his way to a second grand slam title? Time will tell.
For us here on the tennis blog, we wish you a very good evening.
By Michael Doyle
ANALYSIS: Valiant effort falls short for Kyrigos
Nick Kyrgios one week off a bout of COVID-19 gave that his all and it was sublime but ultimately it wasn't enough.
As always with Kyrgios the entertainment value of tweeners, drop shots, aces and underarm serves was there as was a raucous crowd.
This time so was tennis of the very highest level for nearly four sets.
That he lost the match is not a testament to any sort of poor form from the Australian but rather a testament to the looming greatness of Daniil Medvedev.
It's also why the Russian US Open champion is tournament favourite.
Kyrgios has one of the biggest weapons in tennis in his serve but it was blunted by the return game of the Russian, who remained impassive in what was one of the matches of the tournament so far.
It was definitely a test for Medvedev but for Kyrgios his fans can hope the performance is a look ahead at things to come this season.
By Paul Johnson
By Michael Doyle
Some stats out of this game
Medvedev his 31 aces to Nick's 17
Medvedev had five double faults in the game.
Kyrgios had 31 unforced errors to 29 by the Russian.
By Michael Doyle
An interesting interview post match. You get the feelings Medvedev likes to rile up the crowd
By Michael Doyle
GAME. SET. MATCH Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev made no mistake when he had victory in sight.
He had two match points and he only needed one.
By Michael Doyle
Medvedev is closing in on victory with two match points
By Michael Doyle
Another warning for Kyrgios. The code violation means he starts this game 0-15 down.
By Michael Doyle
Medvedev hits his 31st ace to hold serve, and Kyrigos smashes his racquet
By Michael Doyle
What a return! Medvedev breaks Kyrgios
After a fault on his first serve, Nick went for the serve and volley.
But Medvedev was too good and returned it right down the line to break the serve.
By Michael Doyle
Kyrgios survives the first break point. 30-40
By Michael Doyle
Medvedev produces a flawless game to win to love
Backhand winner down the line.
Volley winner.
Ace to finish.
Brilliant from the Russian.
By Michael Doyle
Kyrgios is implementing the serve and volley tactic to his advantage. Takes the game
Nick used the serve and volley twice in that game to win points.
He threw in an underarm serve when he was up 40-0, but Medvedev did well to win that point.
By Michael Doyle
Blink and you'll miss that service game. Medvedev storms through to take a 2-1 lead
By Michael Doyle
Kyrgios holds serve for 1-1
Medvedev is trying to come to the net and it is having mixed results for him.
The final point in that game was a prime example, with Kyrgios just guiding the ball past him.
