MELBOURNE: Defending champion Roger Federer sees temperamental Australian Nick Kyrgios as a threat at the Australian Open — if he can keep his focus.
The 19-time Grand Slam winner, who is coming off an extraordinary 2017 in which he won two Grand Slams, will be up against a depleted field when the first Grand Slam of the year begins at Melbourne Park on Monday, with Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori out injured.
Long-time rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have also been struggling in the lead-up, potentially leaving the door open to one of the so-called “NextGen.”
The volatile Kyrgios is among them and in good form, winning the lead-up Brisbane International last weekend, beating another young gun, Grigor Dimitrov, along the way.
Federer said his recent title success had not gone unnoticed.
“He’s (Kyrgios) going through his things, whatever he needs to go through,” the Swiss great told the Herald Sun newspaper Saturday. “But when he’s on, he’s on and he’s really difficult to beat.
“It seems like he’s doing the right things otherwise he wouldn’t be winning tournaments, especially not in Brisbane because being able to cope with the pressure at home is not a simple thing.”
While the 22-year-old Australian crowd-puller, seeded 17, has exceptional talent, he has often undermined his abilities with petulant outbursts directed at the umpire or fans.
Federer acknowledged he was a work in progress.
“Similar to my challenge, for him it’s day to day and then week by week, can you keep it up?” he said.
“For me, it’s because of me getting older. For him it’s maybe in his mind and his body because he still needs to work much more than he currently is.”
Federer added: “I think he’s incredibly talented.”
Kyrgios, who made the Australian Open quarter-finals in 2015, will begin his 2018 campaign against Brazil’s Rogerio Dutra Silva.
The Swiss, seeded two, who starts his title defense against Aljaz Bedene, said he was feeling good and looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m playing well and now it’s just about getting through the matches at the beginning part of the tournament,” Federer said.
Tennis: Federer impressed by Kyrgios form
Tennis: Federer impressed by Kyrgios form
Messi bags 899th goal as Miami down DC United
- The Argentine superstar’s 80th goal for Miami takes his career tally to 899, leaving him just one away from reaching the 900-goal milestone
WASHINGTON, United States: Lionel Messi moved to the brink of another goalscoring milestone as Inter Miami bagged their second win of the Major League Soccer season with a 2-1 victory over DC United on Saturday.
Messi, who scored twice in Miami’s Florida derby win over Orlando last week, bagged his third goal of the season with a deft chipped finish in the 27th minute at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The Argentine superstar’s 80th goal for Miami takes his career tally to 899, leaving him just one away from reaching the 900-goal milestone.
The eight-time Ballon D’Or winner, who turns 39 in June, scored 672 goals for Barcelona earlier in his career and 32 at Paris Saint-Germain, with a further 115 international goals for Argentina.
Saturday’s win moved the reigning MLS champions up the Eastern Conference standings into third place with six points from three games.
Miami, who on Thursday were guests of President Donald Trump at a White House reception, took the lead in the 17th minute with a superb curling shot from the edge of the area by Messi’s Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul.
Messi then doubled Miami’s lead 10 minutes later, latching on to a sublime through ball from Mateo Silvetti and dinking a first-time finish over the advancing DC United goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
United rallied after half-time, and were given hope when Israeli forward Tai Baribo pulled a goal back in the 75th minute.
Miami though were able to hold off United in the closing stages to seal victory.
