Nick Kyrgios takes bizarre play to a new level as he starts match with an underarm serve - before beating world number 14
- Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios began his first game with an underarm serve
- Kyrgios was playing against Russian Daniil Medvedev in the Italian Open match
- Kyrgios, 24, won two out of three sets and dominated the majority of the match
- Tennis fans took to social media to share their delight at watching Kyrgios play
- Prior to the match Medvedev, 23, said Kyrgios behaved 'strangely' on the court
Australian tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios took the very unusual decision to start his opening game with an underarm serve – a move that's almost nonexistent in a professional tennis.
But the bizarre tactic paid off and Kyrgios beat world number 14 Daniil Medvedev, 23, in the Italian Open match, even after he dropped the second set.
Kyrgios, who is currently ranked as the 33rd best player in the world, took out the match in the third game to win a 6-3 3-6 6-3 victory against his Russian counterpart at the Foro Italico, in Rome.
Kyrgios' underarm serve set the pace for the rest of the match and successfully put Medvedev on the back foot.
The 24-year-old didn't hold back with his drop shots and big serves and went onto dominate the majority of the game.
Share this article
He later revealed he'd pre-planned to begin the game with the underarm serve, and said fellow professional tennis player France Tiafoe had encouraged him to do so.
'I was joking with Tiafoe before the game saying I was going to do an underarm serve with the first shot and see what happens,' Kyrgios said, according to news.com.au.
Australian tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios (pictured) took the very unusual decision to start his latest match with an underarm serve
Many tennis fans took to social media to comment on Kyrgios' bizarre playing tactics during the match
'When it worked it encouraged me to keep doing it. It was a lot of fun.
'I think it is a good tactic against people like him. He needs rhythm and I didn't give him rhythm today.'
It wasn't just Medvedev who was thrown by Kyrgios' unusual tactic, many commentators and tennis fans were taken aback by the move.
'Medvedev has been bamboozled by Kyrgios — what a nightmare Kyrgios is to play against,' former English tennis player and commentator Mark Petchey said.
'OK. So #Medvedev has finally lost his mind. And I honestly don't blame him! #Kyrgios up 3-0 in the third,' Live Tennis wrote on Twitter.
The 24-year-old (pictured) didn't hold back with his drop shots and big serves and went onto dominate the majority of the game
'When was the last time you saw a match begin with an underarm serve? Here you go, courtesy of [Nick Kyrgios] #ibi19,' Tennis TV said.
'Nick Kyrgios up to his old tricks again,' TalkSport Drive said alongside a series of laughing-face emojis.
'Love him or loathe him [Nick Kyrgios] is a very good tennis player & not only did he just outplay Medvedev he outsmarted him to the point where his opponent was smashing his racquet in frustration.
'[Nick Kyrgios] is the future of Tennis [and] the future is now,' one fan insisted.
'I love watching [Nick Kyrgios]. Such a great talent and fun watch. #Tennis needs players like him. #RomeOpen,' another said.
Many tennis fans enjoyed watching Kyrgios use some unusual moves during the match at at the Foro Italico in Rome
Just two weeks prior to Kyrgios' triumphant win Medvedev (pictured) labelled his on court behaviour as 'strange' in an interview with Eurosport
Just two weeks prior to Kyrgios' triumphant win Medvedev labelled his on court behaviour as 'strange' in an interview with Eurosport.
'Kyrgios behaves in a controversial way but in a slightly different way. Many guys are friends with him, I am not, we never spoke to each other closely,' Medvedev said.
'In life, he is a normal way but on the court, he has a strange behaviour.
'Sometimes he does not want to play tennis and sometimes he expects from himself such an easy win that when it is not that easy, starts behaving that way.
'When he starts playing with worse opponents he starts showing knee pain. Because he does not want to show that for him it's difficult to play with that opponent. I think I do not have his attitude, but if I will have it, people will hate me more than Kyrgios.'
Kyrgios will now take on Norwegian tennis player Casper Rudd in a second round match.
