Nick Kyrgios is into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon following a back-and-forth 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-2 battle with Brandon Nakashima.
The first set was tight with both players quickly got through their service games with a high number of aces.
That was until the tenth game when Kyrgios began to clutch his right shoulder and was visibly in some discomfort. All of a sudden Kyrgios’ serving evaded him and Nakashima took full advantage.
The American worked his way to three set points and converted on the second when Kyrgios flashed a forehand long.
Kyrgios maintained his composure early in the second set and went a break up in the third game after two double faults and a wild forehand from Nakashima created some breathing room. A doctor and physio then came on to give Kyrgios some treatment.
Kyrgios held his remaining service games of the second set and converted his first set point with a powerful serve that Nakashima could only strike into the net.
The right shoulder continued to trouble Kyrgios and he had another medical timeout at 2-3 down in the third set to receive treatment.
Nakashima was getting through his service games more quickly, but the pair would go to a tie-break.
A double fault from Nakashima handed Kyrgios a mini break to go 3-1 up and a fine return of serve down the line gave him set point. A crosscourt forehand immediately followed to hand Kyrgios the set.
Both players were locked into a tense fourth set but it was a flurry of unforced errors that would hand Nakashima the break to move into a 4-3 lead.
Nakashima comfortably held his serve before he quickly wrapped up the set on the Kyrgios serve after more unforced errors from the world No 29.
Kyrgios then had a minor spat with the umpire early in the fifth set which appeared to fire him up rather than cause him to give up in frustration.
He moved into a 3-1 lead with Nakashima then defending two break points with the momentum against him, only for the Australian to battle back into a 4-1 advantage.
Needing only to hold his nerve to reach the quarters, Kyrgios finished the match in style on serve to book an appointment against Chile’s Cristian Garin.
“Hell of an effort from Brandon,” he said afterwards.
“He’s a hell of a player and he’s going to do some special things, that’s for sure.
“It wasn’t anywhere near my best performance level-wise; but super happy to get through. I fought really hard today and it was special stepping out here once again.
“I played a lot of tennis in the last month and a half, and I’m proud of the way that I steadied the ship. He came back firing in the fourth set; his level didn’t drop. My five set record is pretty good; I’ve never lost a five-set match here. That’s what I was thinking about: I’ve been here before, I’ve done it before.”
