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Nick Kyrgios powers into Washington ATP final with straight-sets dispatch of Michael Ymer

Darren WaltonAAP
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Nick Kyrgios is through to the final.
Camera IconNick Kyrgios is through to the final. Credit: Nick Wass/AP

Nick Kyrgios has continued his career-best season by powering into the final of the Citi Open in Washington.

Showing no hangover from his gruelling workload a day earlier, when he finished off Reilly Opelka then saved five match points in an epic quarter-final win over Frances Tiafoe, Kyrgios dealt with Michael Ymer in straight sets.

Kyrgios produced another imperious serving display to beat Ymer 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in what was the Wimbledon runner-up’s fifth semi-final appearance from his past six events.

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Only an abdominal strain in Mallorca tarnished the impressive streak.

Yet to be broken all week in the American capital, Kyrgios didn’t face a solitary break point against Ymer.

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He brought up set point in the opener with his 80th ace of the tournament and sealed the set with a lovely serve-volley play and backhand flick overhead winner.

The second set also proved a serving duel but the Swede was always going to come out second best against Kyrgios in this type of mood as the Australian reeled off the last three games to prevail in one hour, 34 minutes.

Kyrgios hadn’t made a final for three years but now he’s reached two in less than a month, including his breakout run to his maiden grand slam title match at Wimbledon.

That four-set defeat to Djokovic at the All England Club remains the 27-year-old’s only loss in his past 11 matches since mid-June.

Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, hits a return to Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, during a semifinal at the Citi Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, in Washington.
Camera IconNick Kyrgios, of Australia, hits a return to Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, during a semifinal at the Citi Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, in Washington. Credit: Nick Wass/AP

Had the ATP not stripped Wimbledon of rankings points in objection to the All England Club’s banning of Russian and Belarusian players because of the invasion of Ukraine, Kyrgios would have regained his place in the world’s top 15.

Instead he remains at No.63 and continues to make a mockery of the men’s rankings, which ridiculously also have Djokovic at world No.6, the Serbian superstar’s lowest standing in 15 years.

The most recent of Kyrgios’ six ATP titles came in Washington in 2019 and he’ll play either Russian top seed Andrey Rublev or Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in his 11th career final hoping to land another.

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