Australian hot head Nick Krygios has been bundled out of the US Open on the opening night, losing in straight sets to 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
It took a just one service break in each of the first two sets to give Agut a two-set lead and by that point, the erratic Kyrgios had had enough, losing 6-3, 6-4, 6-0.
Krygios was adjutated throughout the match, arguing at every change of ends with the chair umpire about the US Open's towel protocols which have changed because of COVID-19.
A frustrated Kyrgios was warned several times for not placing his used towels in the bins provided, throwing them to the side of the court.
Only players are allowed to handle their own towels under the new protocols, which was the fuse that lit Kyrgios' flame.
Earlier, Andy Murray may have been the forgotten man in New York, but gave the crowd and Stefanos Tsitsipas a match to remember forcing the third seed to grind out a 2-6 7-6(7) 3-6 6-3 6-4 win on Tuesday (NZ time) to avoid the opening round shocker.
In the buildup to Flushing Meadows, all the talk had centred around the 'Big Three', Novak Djokovic's hunt for the calendar-year Grand Slam and the absence of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
But Murray reminded everyone there was a fourth Beatle in that dominant group as he turned back the clock on Arthur Ashe Stadium court looking more like the player who won the 2012 US Open title than the injury ravaged 34-year-old.
After reaching the final of the French Open, Tsitsipas arrived in New York seeded third and ready to take that final step to Grand Slam champion only to nearly stumble at the first hurdle, needing almost five hours in punishing conditions to see off the former world No. 1.
In the end, the question was always going to be how much gas did Murray have left in the tank, and the answer was - not enough.
After four hours in the sweltering heat that left both men bathed in sweat, the fifth set began with Tsitsipas grabbing the early break while Murray complained with courtside officials about Tsitsipas spending too much time in the bathroom.
A fired up Tsitsipas would continue to apply the pressure but the one break was all that would be needed.
While Murray may have lost a step, his warrior spirit remains intact, as he provided the young Greek with a tennis master class in the first set.
After Tsitsipas held serve to open the match Murray stormed through the next five games.
With fans back in Arthur Ashe Stadium after standing empty last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive arena bubbled with energy that Murray tapped into using the support to full advantage.
Meanwhile, Tsitsipas was using the rules to his advantage, leaving Murray accusing the Greek of cheating by taking bathroom breaks, medical timeouts and changing racquets in an attempt to unsettle him.
If that was Tsitsipas' plan it worked, particularly in the crucial fifth set, as a distracted Murray angrily offered his opinion to the chair umpire, courtside officials and anyone else in ear shot.
"I think he's a brilliant player. I think he's great for the game but I have zero time for that stuff at all," said Murray. "I lost respect for him."
Murray was particularly upset not only with the timing of Tsitsipas' bathroom breaks but the length with one lasting eight minutes.
For his part Tsitsipas noted that he had simply followed the rules.
"I don't think I broke any rules," said Tsitsipas. "I'm playing by the rules and sticking to what the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) says is fair, then the rest is fine."
Earlier, former champion Marin Cilic of Croatia retired from his first-round match against German Philipp Kohlschreiber with an apparent injury, his earliest exit from the US Open in 13 attempts.
The 2014 winner had been up two sets but bowed out of the match early on in the fifth with Kohlschreiber leading 2-0, after struggling with his serve.
It was Cilic's first retirement in more than 800 matches on the tour and the first time he had failed to make it past the opening round at Flushing Meadows, as he joined American John Isner as one of the higher-profile players to exit the tournament on Tuesday.
Kohlschreiber faces either lucky loser Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan or Spain's Pablo Andujar in the second round.
Reuters.
