The injury-blighted crowd favourites were edged out by fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans
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n the end, it was a one-night only affair. The return of the Special Ks – Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis – to the Australian Open saw the former champions go down 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4) to fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Bruised and wounded from injuries, the pair looked set for victory when they led by a break in the third but by the end, there was more wincing and more limping on show than winners.
“I don’t want to play another match feeling like that ever again,” Kokkinakis said. “I will take a serious break. The crowd was incredible. It was exciting, unfortunately probably they saw shadows of our former selves.” Kyrgios was more annoyed about what he saw as inconsistent rules regarding video replays. “How can you review a ball that’s been hit over the net, but you can’t review a serve over the net?” he said, referring to decisions early in the deciding tiebreak. “Doesn’t make any fucking sense.”
The 5,000-strong crowd inside the Kia Arena got their money’s worth, though. There was an underarm serve, a racket throw, plenty of swearing, numerous interactions with the fans, VAR and a stirring comeback from Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, only for Kubler and Polmans to rip up the script as they hit back to pinch victory.
