JUST as well as the stands will be empty for the next five days because the manic spirit of Nick Kyrgios would have been silenced without the noise of the crowds. 

Even though the return of a budding romance after Kyrgios continued this week to gesture to spectators to show their loud appreciation that was bordering on shameless flirting still promises to spread ubiquitously past Melbourne Park akin to latest coronavirus strain.

The lost presence of the Canberra favourite taking control on his favourite Australian Open tennis court is equally lost like the other anticlimactic heartbreaker is.

But at least John Cain Arena will live on for another day this tournament.

The late former Victorian Premier, whose grand vision was the one-time named National Tennis Centre, would have been saddened to witness the number of Kyrgios fans scamper home to meet the midnight lockdown cast by another Victorian Premier.

But probably not as hurriedly than the reasons behind why the 25-year-old talent would be.

The final result that had Austrian No.3 seed Dominic Thiem claim a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 triumph also had little to do with Kyrgios rushing back on Friday night to cross the border.

Though the world No.47 looked on his way to a third-round win in three straight sets after a clean start in the first two would have defeated the purpose of parting Melbourne quickly.

“It is what it is,” Kyrgios said in the press conference that was just brief enough to beat the latest pandemic deadline.

“I’m not disappointed at all – I’m super proud of everything I’ve done the last couple of months to get ready for it.

“I put myself in a winning position – so I’m not disappointed at all.

“He’s a heck of a player.”