Kyrgios serves up funds for Australia at debut of ATP Cup

Nick Kyrgios served 20 aces in a win that cost him $4,000 in local currency and helped set up Australia’s opening ATP Cup win over Germany.

It was all for a cause. Kyrgios, so often considered b boy of tennis for his emotional behavior and outbursts, promised to donate 200 Australian dollars ($140) for every ace he serves this month to go toward recovery effort from wildfires that have devastated parts of Australia, leaving at least 19 people de and 1,400 homes destroyed.

He opened and closed his 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Jan-Lennard Struff on Friday in Brisbane with booming, high-value serves — including a second-service ace down middle to close it out.

Alex De Minaur followed that up with an upset over . 7-ranked Alexander Zverev, trailing a set and a break before rallying to win 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 on Pat Rafter Arena. Australia also won doubles to clinch a 3-0 sweep of Germany.

Kyrgios devised cash for aces idea earlier in week, and inspired or fundraising efforts from or players and from organizers of ATP Cup and Australian Open. He said he was lifted by crowd, and motivated by plight of people struggling in parts of country impacted by fires, including his hometown of Canberra. A tournament h to be relocated from Australian capital to Victoria state earlier Friday because of poor air quality related to proximity of fires.

“It’s tough,” Kyrgios said, choking back tears and wiping his face with his towel in an on-court interview . ”( money raised) is going to families, fire fighters, animals, everyone who is losing homes, losing family — it’s a real thing. It’s bigger than tennis, you kw.

“It’s tough to go out re and concentrate on tennis, to be honest. Every ace I was hitting that’s all I was thinking about. Every time I stepped up to line that’s all I was thinking about.”

Cana registered first victory of new international team tournament, and United States went down in first major upset despite being one point from clinching a win over rway.

24-team tournament kicked off men’s tennis season for 2020, with matches Friday in Brisbane and Sydney on Australia’s east coast and Perth in Western Australia state.

Canians swept Greece 3-0, with Denis Shapolvalov holding off . 6-ranked Stefas Tsitsipas 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) after 19-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Michail Pervolarakis in first singles victory of tournament. y combined to win doubles.

. 15-ranked Shapovalov w has a 3-1 le in career meetings over ATP Finals champion Tsitsipas, who was unable to convert his break-point chances in seventh and 11th games of second set and n h a double-fault on match point.

“He h an unbelievable end to season and he’s definitely one of top players in world right w,” Shapovalov said. “So to beat a guy like this first match of year, it’s really special for me.”

In Perth, Russia beat Italy after rway rallied to edge United States in Group D.

Taylor Fritz beat Viktor Durasovic 6-2, 6-2 to give Americans le and John Isner h two match points in second-set tiebreaker of second singles match before Casper Ruud rallied to win 6-7 (3), 7-6 (10), 7-5 to level it. Ruud combined with Durasovic to beat Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 to seal rway’s 2-1 win.

“What I need to do is really just put this match behind me as best as I can, because at times it wasn’t pretty out re,” Isner said. “So hopefully I can fix some things and try to play a little bit better on Sunday.”

Fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev gave Russia an unbeaten 2-0 le against Italy when he beat Fabio Fognini 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 in second singles match.

In Sydney, Belgium secured best-of-three match against Moldova, last team to qualify, when Steve Darcis held off Alexander Cozbiv 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-5 and David Goffin beat Ru Albot 6-4, 6-1. Belgians n won doubles for a 3-0 sweep. Moldova team got a formal apology from tournament organizers after wrong national anm was played before match.

Some players have questioned rationale of playing new team event so soon after Davis Cup finals in vember, but first day of competition drew praise for some of invations — including court-side team zone where coaches and players gar during matches.

”It was fun,” Goffin said. ”For my part, two coaches on my right and on my left during matches. It’s something great. And we won first tie, so at moment it’s 10 out of 10.”

winners from each of six groups and two best runners-up will vance to quarterfinals, which will start in Sydney on Jan. 9.