If there’s one thing that has stood out from the tennis world this week then it is the outstanding power and precision with which the 20-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios has been dismantling higher-ranked opponents with relative ease. On Saturday, the World No. 41 put up a commanding performance to thrash the eighth-ranked Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the final of the Open 13 Provence in Marseille.
The 70-minute display saw the Aussie come up with a barrage of 15 aces and win 93 percent of his first serve points. Most importantly, he broke the Czech No. 1 thrice without facing a single break point himself.
This comes a day after Kyrgios’ annihilation of the third seed Richard Gasquet, 6-0, 6-4 in the quarter-finals in front of the Frenchman’s stunned home crowd. The dazzling display witnessed him thundering 17 aces and win 96 percent of his first serve points that left the World No. 10 shocked.
Both Berdych and Gasquet had won their last encounters with the Aussie with Berdych beating him as recently as the Australian Open in January.
Kyrgios will now attempt to win his first career ATP title on Sunday after making an ATP final for just the second time in his career. In 2015, he had lost the Estoril final on outdoor clay to none other than Gasquet.
To go one better this time, he has to overcome the challenge of the fourth seed Marin Cilic who is making his debut in this French city. Earlier in the day, the 2014 US Open champion had prevailed over the eight-seeded Benoit Paire, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in the other semi-final of this indoor hardcourt tournament.
