MELBOURNE — With the retiring Lleyton Hewitt set for a bitter-sweet farewell from the Australian Open, the burden of home expectations will land heavily on the shoulders of talented but tempestuous duo Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic.
Australia's yearning for a home men's champion runs deep after 40 years of frustration but the pair will be under the microscope for their behavior as much as their tennis.
Both have spoken of their love for home crowds but that love has, at times, not entirely been reciprocated.
Australia's number one Tomic, seeded 17th at Melbourne Park, was jeered by the center court crowd when he retired hurt early in his opening match of the 2014 tournament against Rafa Nadal.