As Nick Kyrgios rambled through a lengthy list of people he wanted to thank Sunday after ending a three-year title drought by claiming the trophy at the site of his last triumph, the Citi Open, he made a mention of the match officials.
Then, catching himself, the Wimbledon runner-up added with a knowing smile: "The relationship's still rocky with the umpires." Kyrgios extended the best stretch of his career and gave another performance that will make him someone to take seriously at the US Open, saving the only break point he faced in the final along the way to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Yoshihito Nishioka at the Citi Open. “I feel like my motivation is a lot higher than it used to be ...
There is a small window; I should capitalise on it,” said Kyrgios, who dropped to his back on the blue court when the match ended, then headed back out into that stadium in the evening to team with Jack Sock for a doubles trophy, too, defeating French Open finalists Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek 7-5, 6-4. “I don’t care about what people say about my tennis, like, ‘Always disrespectful to the sport,’ all this, all that," said Kyrgios, the first man to win Washington's singles and doubles events in the same year. "I know that, deep down, I try really hard to do it my own way.
I know that I inspire millions of people, and I’m just playing for them.” Earlier Sunday, Liudmila Samsonova won her second career WTA title by coming back to beat sixth-seeded Kaia Kanepi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the Citi Open women’s final.