Asanka Brendon Ratnayake for The New York Times
MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal defused the most unpredictable threat in men’s tennis on Monday, defeating Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
As at Wimbledon last year, it was a duel full of emotion, all-court athleticism and entrancing shots.
As at Wimbledon, the key swing in momentum came in the third-set tiebreaker, when Nadal was able to dodge the myriad dangers that the gifted, volatile Kyrgios can generate.
The final score was nearly identical to the one at Wimbledon, where Nadal won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).