Nick Kyrgios succumbs in a swift 21-minute second set during Miami Open loss

An exasperated Nick Kyrgios let his focus slip late in his contest against Karen Khachanov at the Miami Open, managing to win only seven points in the second set, resulting in a 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 loss.

This marked Kyrgios’s second match within three days following his first-round triumph over Mackenzie Macdonald, which was his first tour-level victory in over two and a half years due to a lasting wrist issue.

The initial sets showcased a stark contrast in Kyrgios’s performance.

He was intensely involved in the first set, which lasted an hour against the 22nd seed Khachanov, pushing the Wimbledon finalist to his limits from the baseline.

However, his mindset shifted when he squandered an opportunity to lead 3-1 in the tiebreak by mis-hitting a forehand that essentially handed the point to his rival.

The missed chance appeared to weigh heavily on Kyrgios, who may have been uncertain about his physical condition, allowing Khachanov to seize control of the tiebreak.

From that moment, the Australian’s frustration was evident in the second set, with a slew of unforced errors robbing him of any potential for a comeback and only fueling his irritation.

Kyrgios began muttering under his breath, displayed annoyance towards his team, and even seemed to favour a shoulder issue, offering a continuous narrative of everything that was getting to him.

At one point, he smacked a ball out of the court, resulting in a warning from the umpire, and by the final point, he had racked up his 30th unforced error, surrendering with a long forehand in a second set that lasted a mere 21 minutes.

Khachanov is set to face Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 32, while Perth qualifier Tristan Schoolkate also saw his tournament end, losing to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime with a score of 6-4 6-4.