No. 8 seed Nick Kyrgios has advanced to the China Open second round. Australia's Kyrgios demolished world No. 60 Nikoloz Basilashvili on Tuesday 6-1 6-2. It was the first-ever meeting between the two.
Kyrgios started the match strongly with a 5-0 lead. Basilashvili, 25, finally got on the board when he served out to reduce the deficit to 5-1. It didn't affect the outcome of the first set as the No. 8 seed routinely served out for the set in the seventh game.
Basilashvili saved two break points in the third game of the second set to open up a 2-1 lead.
Kyrgios then put on a clinic as he was almost flawless the rest of the match. The Australian won five games in a row to seal the set and the win, eventually.
Kyrgios plays Zverev next
Kyrgios fired 12 aces and won 86 percent of his first serve points during the match. Kyrgios, 22, broke Basilashvili four times and faced no break points at the China Open on Tuesday. The No. 8 seed got the job done after just 55 minutes of action.
Kyrgios is now set to meet next world No. 27 Mischa Zverev. The two will be going head-to-head for the second time in their respective careers when they clash off in Beijing. Previously, Zverev beat Kyrgios at the Shanghai Masters a year ago. It was a controversial match as Kyrgios was accused of tanking and not giving his best efforts during the match.
It remains to be seen can Zverev pull off an upset and beat Kyrgios to reach the quarter-finals.
Dimitrov wins as well
Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov has also made progress to the China Open second round. No. 3 seed Dimitrov edged world No. 36 Damir Dzumhur in a three-setter 6-1 3-6 6-3. It was the second-ever meeting between the two -- and the second win for Dimitrov.
Dimitrov started the match with a break point chance saved in the opening game for a 1-0 lead. Dimitrov had three break points in the following game -- but Dzumhur saved those break point chances. The No. 3 seed then dominantly won five games in a row to seal the first set in style.
Dzumhur regrouped at the beginning of the second.
Dzumhur blew a break point in the sixth game, which would have given him a 4-2 lead. However, Dzumhur broke Dimitrov two games later to open up a 5-3 and eventually serve out for the set in the following game to clinch decider.
Dzumhur disappointingly blew three break points in the opening game of the third set. He also didn't convert either of his two break point chances in the fifth game. Dimitrov broke Dzumhur in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead to eventually serve out for the win a game later.
Dzumhur falls to convert his chances
Dimitrov hit nine aces, won 77 percent of his first serve points but also had nine double faults. Dimitrov broke Dzumhur three times during the match and saved 8-of-9 of the Bosnian's break point chances. The match came to an end after just less than two hours of action.
