After falling just short across five sets in a three-hour, 39-minute quarterfinal loss to Karen Khachanov, Australian Nick Kyrgios struck a somber tone in a brutally honest post-match press conference.
“I'm just devastated, obviously,” the No. 23 seed said after the defeat under Arthur Ashe Stadium’s closed roof. “I just feel like it was either winning it all or nothing at all, to be honest. I feel like I've just failed at this event right now. That's what it feels like.”
Kyrgios dropped serve on the first break point against him to surrender the opening set, then received treatment for a sore knee. The 27-year-old picked up steam from there, but could not overcome an early break deficit in the decider. Final score: 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4.
“I just came out flat. Physically didn't feel great,” he said of the start, explaining that he tweaked his knee on a split step. “Then I ended up feeling great towards the end of the match.”
Despite the defeat, Kyrgios’ 2022 Grand Slam season was the best of his career. Improving upon his two previous quarterfinal showings (2014 Wimbledon, 2015 Roland Garros), he reached the final in London before advancing beyond the third round for the first time in New York.
But fresh off the court, the Aussie was not able to see the positive side.
"It's like you get better, you get worse, then at a Grand Slam, none of it matters,” Kyrgios said. “You either win or lose. People don't really care if you got better on the day or you lost [6-4] in the fifth, or played one of the best matches of the tournament. You lost.
“That's all people remember at a Grand Slam, whether you win or you lose.”
Kyrgios also credited Khachanov for his effort in the victory: “He's a warrior. I thought he served really good today,” said the Aussie, who out-aced his opponent, 31-30. “He’s probably the best server I played this tournament, to be honest, the way he was hitting his spots under pressure.
“He just played the big points well. Really wasn't anything in it.”
In a post-match, on-court interview, Khachanov returned the praise: “We played almost four hours. That's the only way to beat Nick, I think,” he said.
