Nick Kyrgios's US Open run has come to an end in a five-set defeat to Karen Khachanov in the men's quarterfinals.
Kyrgios, playing two days after his stunning win over defending champion and world number one Daniil Medvedev, forced his match against Khachanov to a fifth and deciding set.
But the 27th-seeded Russian eventually triumphed 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 in three hours and 39 minutes, setting up a semi-final encounter against fifth seed Casper Ruud.
It was the second time Kyrgios and Khachanov have played a marathon match at a major, with a third-round win for Kyrgios at the 2020 Australian Open lasting four-and-a-half hours and featuring four tie-breaks.
"That's the only way to beat Nick, I think," Khachanov said on court after reaching the final four of a major for the first time.
Kyrgios was slow to get going in the match, and so was the usually boisterous Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, as he struggled with a left leg complaint throughout the first set.
He still managed to remain perfect on serve until the 12th game of the opener, when Khachanov nabbed the first break of the match to claim the set, after which Kyrgios called for the trainer.
He took a medical timeout and received some treatment on his calf and knee, and it must have worked because he scored his first break of the match in the third game, maintaining the advantage all the way to the 6-4 victory.
Kyrgios missed golden opportunities to get his nose in front in the opening game of the third set and again with scores level at 4-4, prompting him to throw his racquet and curse himself for being unable to convert "f***ing break points".
Umpire James Keothavong did not hand him a code violation for either offence, and Khachanov also let him off the hook by missing a simple forehand on set point in the next game.
But he made no such mistake two games later, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.
The big-serving pair surprisingly traded breaks early in the fourth set before Kyrgios showed nerves of steel to twice serve to stay in the match, ultimately forcing the fourth-set tie-break.
After Kyrgios won the breaker, Khachanov immediately seized the upper hand in the fifth when he broke the Australian's serve in the opening game.
Kyrgios had break-point chances in the fifth set but the 23rd seed could not capitalise, as Khachanov wrapped up the win to secure his first semi-final berth at a major.
The result means no Australians are left in the men's and women's singles draw after Ajla Tomljanović lost her quarter-final against fifth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur.
Look back at how the marathon match played out in our live blog below.
Key events
- Karen Khachanov takes down Kyrgios to reach the US Open semi-finals!
- Kyrgios wins fourth-set tie-break to force a decider
- Khachanov breaks to win the all-important third set!
- Kyrgios gets out of jail as Khachanov flubs set point
- Kyrgios explodes after missing two break points at 4-4 in third set
- Kyrgios squares the match at one set all
- Kyrgios takes a medical timeout
- Khachanov breaks Kyrgios to win the first set!
- Caroline Garcia takes down Gauff to reach US Open semi-final
- Hectic head to head between Kyrgios and Khachanov
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Live updates
By Jon Healy
We'll wrap things up there
It turned into a barnstorming match, but in the space of a couple of hours the Australian US Open tilt has come to an end.
Ajla Tomljanovic went down to Ons Jabeur in the early hours of this morning, before Kyrgios's ousting at the hands of Karen Khachanov.
It's worth noting that Ellen Perez and Storm Sanders are still alive with their partners in the women's doubles, with Sanders also partnering John Peers in the mixed doubles.
We'll be back to blog the women's and men's finals on Sunday and Monday morning AEST.
See you then.
By Jon Healy
Likely the last we've seen of Nick Kyrgios this year
For weeks, Nick Kyrgios has been talking about how tiring being on the road has been.
His mum is back home in Canberra and isn't well. His dad hasn't travelled with him for that reason. He also has a baby nephew he hasn't seen much of.
Kyrgios has flagged that this will be the end of his season.
He reached the final of Wimbledon in July, won a doubles title in Atlanta, won the Washington Open singles, beat world Daniil Medvedev in Montreal, and beat him again in his first run to the last eight at the US Open.
A shame that he had to end it like this.
As positive as the on-court results have been, there's clearly a lot going on in his head, including the spectre of a court appearance for common assault.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov glad to finally get some love from fans
Kyrgios was definitely the fan favourite tonight and Karen Khachanov noticed.
"I did it. I did it, guys. Thank you. Now you are giving me some love. I appreciate it."
He said he wasn't surprised he went the distance with Kyrgios again.
"That's the only way to beat Nick, I think."
By Jon Healy
Karen Khachanov takes down Kyrgios to reach the US Open semi-finals!
He lands his first serve, and Kyrgios's bunted return drops on his own side of the net. 15-0
An absolute brute of a rally ends with a rank forehand from Khachanov coming forward and spraying wide. 15-15
Kyrgios's defence is amazing right now, but he can't land every one in the court, and a squash shot slides just long. 30-15
He's calling for more energy from his box, but Khachanov gets a bit of luck as his volley trickles off the net cord and over to set up two match points. The net cord was a little lucky, but he set it up with massive gutsy hitting off the forehand wing. 40-15
And another massive serve sends Karen Khachanov him to the final four!!
Kyrgios smashes one more racquet for the road and zooms off the court after a hearty handshake with his opponent.
By Jon Healy
The match is alive
This is electric
- Steve Falcon
It's remarkable how engrossing this match has become considering the sluggish, low-energy start.
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios forces Khachanov to serve it out
A rapid love hold for Kyrgios keeps the match alive and forces Khachanov to serve it out.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov holds serve for 5-3
Both players are pressing and neither is giving an inch. Khachanov NEEDS a big service game here.
He starts with a fault, but kicks in a second serve at Kyrgios's backhand, crowding him and forcing the error. 15-0
Khachanov makes it 30-0 with some powerful forehands sending Kyrgios all over the place, eventually bunting in a drop shot after a net cord.
Forehands galore from Kyrgios off Khachanov's second serve gets Kyrgios into the game. 15-30
Oh my word! Some looping ground strokes, mostly off the backhand, and then Khachanov steps in and murders an off drive down the line for 40-15.
Kyrgios steps in and wrecks Khachanov's second serve to set up the point. He's chasing every second serve. Khachanov might have to only target the backhand. 40-30
He gets the second serve in at the backhand of Kyrgios, who can't get it over the high part of the net. Game Khachanov
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios fights off two break points to hold and make it 3-4
Khachanov wins the first two points before Kyrgios aces wide to make it 15-30.
But he sprays a forehand long, and suddenly Khachanov has two break points at 15-40.
Kyrgios saves one with a 190kph second serve! 30-40
And we're back to deuce as Khachanov misses his backhand return wide.
Advantage Kyrgios as a powerful forehand finds Khachanov's frame.
Kyrgios holds with a deft inside-out forehand drop shot that just sneaks over the net!
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios can't find an opening on the Khachanov serve
He gets the all-important opening point as Khachanov goes hell for leather on a running cross-court forehand, slapping it into the net. 0-15
A remarkable cross-court backhand with extreme angle allows Khachanov to charge in at the net, and Kyrgios can't pass. 15-15
Massive power from the forehand wing, and nerves of steel, see Khachanov to 30-15.
And 40-15. He is ripping the serve and that off forehand.
Kyrgios finds a pretty nice forehand of his own to get into the net and finish off the point. 40-30
Kyrgios is getting balls into play off the serve very regularly, but Khachanov is good enough to drive the backhand winner down the line to hold.
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios holds serve under pressure
He's coming up with some unbelievable forehands and jumps out to a 30-0 lead.
Kyrgios goes for another one, and it sprays wide. 30-15
He's basically trying to finish the point with every forehand, but t's working more often than not, and he holds serve pretty easily.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov holds serve for a 3-1 lead
He gets into the game with an ace down the T. So important to get that first point. 15-0
And a big one out wide doesn't come back either. 30-0
Khachanovgets in after a bunted return and Kyrgios drills a ball right at him at the net. The Russian has to duck out of the way, but it drops in! 30-15
And Kyrgios gets back to parity at 30-30 as Khachanov drops the racquet head on a backhand.
Sensational rally from both players, with Kyrgios nailing a half-volley at the net, and Khachanov can't pass. 30-40
Kyrgios has a look at a second serve on the break point, but he tries the miracle drop shot down the line and finds the net. Deuce
Big ace out wide. Advantage Khachanov
Amazing short return, followed by a pinpoint down-the-line backhand passing shot gets it back to deuce.
But Khachanov serves it out and lets out a roar and a massive fist pump.
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios gets on the board in the third game of the deciding set
He races to 40-0.
He's jawing with his box. No idea what this is about, but he's held with an ace down the T.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov fights off break points to consolidate on serve
After both players traded points to start, Kyrgios rips a cross-court forehand return winner off a second serve to move to 15-30.
But Khachanov moves well to find an inside-out-forehand winner. 30-30
Kyrgios nets a cross-court backhand, giving Khachanov a game point at 40-30.
Attritional rally, and Khachanov drops it with a slice backhand drifting long. Deuce
A double fault gives Kyrgios a break point, but Khachanov follows up with a timely ace down the middle. Deuce
And more massive serving gets him out of trouble. More Karen Clutchanov.
By Jon Healy
Nick Kyrgios is broken to start the fifth set!
Serving first is a huge advantage in this match where breaks of serve are so rare.
Just about to tick over three hours in this match by the way.
He wins the first point at the net after a tame smash was tracked down by Khachanov. 15-0
The behind-the-back tweener mid-rally again, just ballooning up and letting Khachanov dictate with the forehand. 15-15
Great speed from the big Russian to track down a drop shot and finish off the point at the net. 15-30
Kyrgios gets it to parity with his serve. 30-30
Brilliant cross-court backhand passing shot by Khachanov. Such a narrow window, but he squeaked the ball through there. 30-40
And Khachanov gets the break to start the fifth set!
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios wins fourth-set tie-break to force a decider
Kyrgios gets the mini-break as they trade groundstrokes in a rare long rally, with Khachanov miscuing an inside-in forehand as he tries to end the rally early. 0-1
Big wide serve and he crushes the forehand winner as Khachanov's return pops up. 2-0
Amazing 25-shot rally, with both players going toe to toe on the backhands, Kyrgios changing up paces nicely before ripping a winner down the line. Some moron shouted "OUT!" on one particularly close line call, but both did well to refocus. 3-0
Big serve gets Khachanov his first point. 1-3
But Kyrgios gets back into it, somehow turning defence into offence and forcing the error from Khachanov. 1-4
Kyrgios takes a 5-1 lead to the change of ends after serving and volleying on the second serve. Khachanov is standing so far back and couldn't come up with a passing shot. He may have to start stepping in on those second serves.
Ace brings up FIVE set points. 6-1
A Khachanov ace saves one. 2-6
A sensational rally, and Khachanov eventually forces the running forehand error from Kyrgios. God these guys hit the ball hard. 3-6
Three more set points. Two on serve for Kyrgios.
He only needs one. We're heading to a decider!
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios sends the fourth set to a tie-break with a clutch hold
The serve and volley on the second serve finally works, but thanks largely to a pretty poor attempt at a backhand pass from Khachanov. 15-0
Well constructed point gives Kyrgios 30-0, but a brilliant full-court rally ends with Khachanov carving a forehand winner after Kyrgios reached another tidy lob. 30-15
Double fault! And it's 30-30. Rare moment where Kyrgios's serve betrayed him.
But it's back in due course, with an ace for 40-30, and an unreturnable for a hold of serve.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov holds to love to reach 6-5, heaping more pressure on Kyrgios
Two aces to start. 30-0
And it's 40-0 as Kyrgios shanks a backhand. Followed by a big one down the T, giving Khachanov a big love hold.
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios complaining about fans, but he keeps the match alive
He's not happy with fans shouting out during points and as players try to serve. It's typical US Open stuff. Always an issue. Looks like he's trying to get a fan booted.
Kyrgios refocuses and works his serve to rush to 40-0.
Kyrgios tries the serve-volley on a second serve despite the fact it hasn't worked often tonight. And not this time either. 40-15
But he aces out wide to hold serve and stay in the match.
By Jon Healy
Khachanov fights off break points to reach 5-4 in fourth set
He follows in a big serve and polishes off the volley. 15-0
Excellent play from Kyrgios, forcing the Russian giant all over the court and finishing off at the net. 15-15
Best point of the match from Kyrgios here, slice forehand into slice backhand approach and Khachanov couldn't come up with the pass. 15-30
So close for Kyrgios. He had a look at a second serve and tried to drill a backhand down the line, but couldn't get it over the net. 30-30
Exceptional hitting from the back of the court from Kyrgios forces the Khachanov error to set up a break point. 30-40
But Khachanov saves it with an unreturnable serve, and follows that up with an ace out wide to reach advantage.
And that's a clutch hold from Khachanov with another unreturnable serve!
By Jon Healy
Kyrgios keeps the set on serve, holding for 4-4
He's going for one of these rapid service games that always seem to refocus him, starting well with an ace. 15-0
But he's missed a first serve, and then a forehand to make it 15-15.
Oh no. Someone's shouted out as Kyrgios was in his service motion. Let's hope he doesn't let that distract him.
Khachanov nets a running forehand. 30-15
The bunted return from Khachanov draws Kyrgios forward, and he can't get enough whip on the forehand to bring it down into court. 30-30
But he gets a hand from the net cord, finishing off a short forehand for 40-30. And finishes the game with an ace.
Would have almost certainly been a flashpoint if he missed that one.
