‘Devastated’ Nick Kyrgios exits US Open after thriller against Karen Khachanov

It is the overcooked forehand in a thriller that might have cost Nick Kyrgios a grand slam title. As gallant as the Australian was when edged 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4 by Karen Khachanov at the US Open, one wonders whether such a golden chance will ever come again. The frustration he showed on exiting the court suggested he realised as much. Smashed rackets. And more. It is a shame, because although beaten, he put up a strong fight.

Kyrgios was shattered by the loss, saying he felt “mentally distraught”. “There really wasn’t anything in it,” he said. “I’m just devastated, obviously. I [just] feel like it was either winning it all or nothing at all, to be honest. I feel like I’ve just failed at this event right now. That’s what it feels like.”

But back to the forehand. The favourite for the US Open title after the exit of Rafael Nadal, the Australian looked finally to have found his rhythm in what proved a moody yet electric quarter-final on Tuesday night at Flushing Meadows. Deep in the third set of a tight encounter at four games-all, two break points arose against the rangy Russian who played superbly to produce his career-best performance in a grand slam.

On the second of those points, Kyrgios worked into position to punish a forehand. Instead of searing a line, as so many of his shots had throughout the first week in New York, the 23rd seed blasted it well beyond the baseline. Bereft, it drained his belief for a period.

The Wimbledon finalist was extremely fortunate to receive a reprieve from Khachanov, who held his nerve and concentration for long enough to break his rival, in the next game. But the Russian, who had previously reached quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, was relentless. He used his reach