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Nick Kyrgios made a winning comeback for the first time in 12 months, claiming an exciting three-set victory over Alexandre Muller at the Murray River Open.
Kyrgios was stunned early on by the no-world. 209, who won the opening set 6-3, before leveling off to win the final two sets to take a 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory.
The 25-year-old’s game was not without drama, battling an injury in the second set before being involved in a back-and-forth with chair umpire Adel Nour in the tie-breaker in the third set.
Kyrgios took charge of the tiebreaker when he took a 4-1 lead, but was frustrated when Muller won three straight points to tie it 4-4.
The Australian stormed his service matches for the majority of the game and was annoyed when a ball boy didn’t have the ball ready for him in time before a point he eventually lost.
As the players switched sides during the tiebreaker, a charged Kyrgios asked chair umpire Adel Nour to keep a closer eye on the children.
“It’s your job not to let this happen. Just admit it and say thank you,” he might have heard her say to Nour.
Kyrgios got his wish granted, Nour beckoning when the Australian asked him who was responsible for bringing the children online.
The drama with the balloon kids wasn’t the only talking point in the contest, with Kyrgios seemingly struggling with an apparent knee injury in the second set.
He entered the game with his left leg bandaged and appeared to wince after a number of points in the second set.
Kyrgios requested, and was awarded, a medical time out at the end of the second set and made physio work his left knee area, but seemed to wear out the rest of the game without being inhibited.
The victory means Kyrgios enters the second round, where he will face fellow Aussie Harry Bourchier, who beat compatriot Marc Polmans in the first round.
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