MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov kept his cool in the Rod Laver Arena maelstrom to knock home favorite Nick Kyrgios out of the Australian Open in a fourth-round thriller on Sunday.
Third seed Dimitrov absorbed 76 winners and struck 64 of his own to edge a scintillating duel 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(4).
Kyrgios fought until the end, breaking back when Dimitrov served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set but Dimitrov booked a quarter-final spot in the night’s third tiebreak when he fired a sublime forehand winner.
Defeat for Kyrgios means Australia’s long wait for a men’s champion at their home slam will extend to a 43rd year.
Dimitrov will play British player Kyle Edmund for a place in his second successive semi-final in Melbourne.
Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis