Facing a home player at Majors is never easy. The Briton Jacob Fearnley experienced that on John Cain Arena in Melbourne against the home favorite Nick Kyrgios! The atmosphere was electrified, and the crowd gave injured Kyrgios strength to finish the duel.
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Jacob beat Nick 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 in two hours and 19 minutes, prevailing over the Aussie and his partisan crowd! Fearnley described it as one of the most thrilling experiences of his life. The young gun had to keep his emotions inside and do not give the crowd more fuel.
The Briton maintainedhis focus despite failing to hear his coach or anything from the sixth game of the third set! Fearnley took the pivotal moments and sent Kyrgios pascking in what could be his last Australian Open match.
After playing only one match in the previous two years, the Aussie experienced an abdominal injury at he beginning of 2025. Nick asked for a medical timeout in the second set and would have retired fromany other tournament.
Carried by his incredible crowd on his favorite court, Kyrgios refused to retire, playing until the end and trying to give everything. Nick pulled the break back in the third set and created a set point, missing it and falling in straight sets.
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The Briton played against only three break points and lost serve once. He landed 46 winners and 27 unforced errors, keeping the pressure on the other side. Kyrgios could not serve at his best and faced 11 break points. He saved nine but hit the exit door after losing serve two times.
Jacob failed to convert two break points in the opening set, with Nick staying in touch until the tie break. Fearnley secured two mini-breaks at 2-1 and welcomed Kyrgios' backhand mistake at 6-3 to wrap up the first part of the duel in 45 minutes.
The Briton served well in the second set and provided an early break in the second game with a forehand winner. Jacob clinched the set with a hold in game nine, opening a 7-6, 6-3 advantage after an hour and 18 minutes.
Nick spoke to the doctors and decided to continue the duel and give the crowd a chance to see more action. The Briton secured another early break in the third set, moving closer to the finish line. However, Kyrgios stepped in on the return in the sixth game.
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He broke back and locked the result at 3-3, making the crowd on John Cain Arena go wild. Nick saved a break point in the ninth game and earned a set point on the return in the next one. Jacob denied itwith a forehand winner and held for 5-5.
Nick denied another break point in game 11 and stayed alive until the tie break. Jacob maintained his focused and moved 6-1 up. He landed a deep return on the second match point, sealing the deal and celebrating his first Australian Open victory.
"The atmosphere was terrific. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I was extremely nervous before the match and calmed down after stepping onto the court. I knew I could not show any emotion because I felt the crowd would eat them alive.
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I did my best to stay composed and not give anything to the crowd. The atmosphere was electric, but it became even wilder in the sixth game of the third set. The stadium became so loud that I could not hear my coach or anything.
They could not stay calm between the first and second serve, and it was difficult for me to concentrate on my tennis," Jacob Fearnley said.
