Australian star Nick Kyrgios pulled out of his scheduled ATP Cup match in the morning. Kyrgios was all set to face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the ATP Cup rubber.
John Millman had to fill in for his compatriot.
Why Did Nick Kyrgios pull out?
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Nick Kyrgios suffered from back issues which forced him to miss out in this all important clash. His fans really hoped to see another masterclass from him as the Australian had displayed a flawless performance against Germany.
He defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets to give Australia the lead in their first tie. Later, top Australian prospect Alex De Minaur thrashed Alexander Zverev in a titanic clash to seal an Australian triumph.
This is a major issue as his injury woes have again surfaced right before a major grand slam. His glass ceiling just seems to get higher and higher as his career advances.
Today, John Millman replaced Nick Kyrgios to face Felix.
Read More- “You Get A Bit Lonely”- Nick Kyrgios Opens Up On Relishing Team Games
How Did John Millman Perform?
Nick Kyrgios’ loss became John Millman’s blessing. The Australian no 3 did not disappoint as he got an easy victory against Felix, beating him 6-4, 6-2.
It was a special occasion for Millman as he got the opportunity to perform in front of his home crowd in Brisbane.
“It’s always difficult, a late call up, but it doesn’t get much easier in a difficult circumstance when you get to play here in Brisbane, a place where you’re familiar with the court and the surroundings and you know that you’re going to have a vocal crowd in your corner,” an ecstatic Millman said post match.
Later in the day, Alex De Minaur thrashed Denis Shapovalov 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-2 in a cracker of a contest. After being 2-4 down in the second set, the Australian ace pulled back to complete a fantastic victory.
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This win all but confirms Australia’s advance into the quarter finals.
What’s Next For Team Australia?
Team Australia will square off against Team Greece next. The time for good matches is not over yet as we’ll witness another top grade next-gen contest. This time, Alex De Minaur will face the most revered young star of the generation in Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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Who do you think will emerge on top in this contest?