<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340716</docID> <postdate>2025-03-20 11:04:19</postdate> <headline>Emotional Kyrgios storms to long-awaited win in Miami</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340717" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250320126294052880-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="594" /></p> <caption>Nick Kyrgios has scored a three-set win in the first round of the Miami Open. (AP PHOTO)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Darren Walton</b> in Miami</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>An emotional Nick Kyrgios feels like he finally "belongs" again after notching his first tour victory in two and a half years at the prestigious Miami Open.</strong></p> <p>Kyrgios laid bare his self doubts, saying he feared his career was over, after recovering from a set down to defeat American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the $14.5 million Masters 1000 event on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT).</p> <p>The win was his first in a tour-level match since the Japan Open in October 2022 and set up a second-round encounter with Russian Karen Khachanov, the last man to play Kyrgios in a grand slam singles at the US Open a couple of months before that Tokyo event.</p> <p>"It's been a long journey just to even get to the start line of matches and then being scared to even finish them, so to come off and get a win and then feel I like I belong again, it's pretty special," Kyrgios said, reflecting on his wretched run with wrist and knee injuries.</p> <p>"Honestly, I thought I would never play tennis again, to be brutally honest with you. It was going that way.</p> <p>"I've had conversations with my camp, with my team - guys that are leaving their families to be here with me to try to get me on court and I was like 'I don't know how long I can keep doing this for'.</p> <p>"But obviously this puts a bit more petrol in the tank, but I need to be realistic. I'll see how my wrist pulls up tomorrow because it is a grind out here."</p> <p>Playing on an injury-protected ranking after spiralling out of the top 1000, the one-time world No.17 and 2022 Wimbledon finalist said his "tough" ordeal had left him wondering how he could ever compete again on tour.</p> <p>"Honestly, I saw the draw and didn't feel confident about versing anyone," said Kyrgios.</p> <p>"The way my wrist has pulled up the last six months hasn't been great, but having one (previous) win against 'Macka', having something to draw from experience helped.</p> <p>"But he's such a good player, so tricky, and he definitely caught me off guard. I walked on to the court and I wasn't used to that ball speed again."</p> <p>Kyrgios came into the Miami tournament after an early exit at Indian Wells, where the 29-year-old retired with a wrist injury while trailing Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (9-7) 3-0 in his opening match.</p> <p>The win also comes after the Australian was named as one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association against the sport's governing bodies, accusing them of anti-competitive practices and a disregard for player welfare.</p> <p>The PTPA, an independent players' union co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2019 says after years of good-faith efforts to reform professional tennis, it has been forced to take legal action to end "monopolistic control" of the sport.</p> <p>Twelve current and former players, including Djokovic, Pospisil and Kyrgios, are listed as plaintiffs along with the PTPA.</p> <p>The now-world No.892 joined two other Australian winners on Wednesday, with Rinky Hijikata also digging deep to see off Hamad Medjedovic 7-5 3-6 7-5 and set up a tantalising second-round date with another, rather more illustrious Serb, Novak Djokovic.</p> <p>It's a fantastic opportunity for world No.86 Hijikata, up against the 24-time grand slam winner who's been looking vulnerable.</p> <p>Since his Australian Open semi-final retirement against Alexander Zverev through injury, Djokovic has not won a match, getting knocked out early in Doha and Indian Wells.</p> <p>Qualifier Tristan Schoolkate trounced American qualifier Ethan Quinn 6-0 6-2, with the 24-year-old from Perth next playing Canada's 18th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.</p> <p>But Aleksandar Vukic and Chris O'Connell both bowed out.</p> <p>Vukic lost 2-6 6-4 6-2 to Belgian veteran David Goffin, before O'Connell went down 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) to Roberto Carballes Baena.</p> <p style="text-align: right;"> <em>–with PA</em></p> </body>