
Kyrgios is back, beaten but finishes the match
Partnering French veteran Gael Monfils, and playing in front of NBA star Kevin Durant, Kyrgios had a tough opening draw against third seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys.
Monfils was broken in the opening game and while Kyrgios held his first service match both players were then broken to lose the first set 6-2.
The second was much the same. Monfils being broken early and Kyrgios late as they dropped it 6-2 again.
Nonetheless, just being on court was something of an achievement for the 30-year-old Australian who has been dogged by injury since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2022.
Kyrgios last played doubles at the Australian Open in January, retiring in the second set of his opening match with himself and Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-5 3-2 down to fellow Aussies James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic.
He subsequently played three singles matches, retiring when 7-6 (8-6) 3-0 down in the first round at Indian Wells in March. The wrist he had an operation on in September 2023 was still an issue.
However, he reached the second round at the Miami Open later in the month, beating McKenzie McDonald for his first singles win since 2022. In the second round he lost to Karen Khachanov and this outing in the US capital was his first match since, as injuries continued to be an an issue.
Kyrgio has a current ATP ranking of 640, but has activated his protected ranking of 21 to be included on the official entry list for the final grand slam tournament of the year in New York.
Earlier on Monday in a sweltering Washington, Chris O'Connell went down 6-3 6-2 to American Ethan Quinn, ranked five places lower at world No.82, while later, Vukic takes on big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin are also in the ATP 500 event but have received first-round byes.
De Minaur told ATPTour.com he was hoping to use the tournament as a springboard to climb the rankings ahead of the US Open.
The hip injury suffered at Wimbledon 2024 meant the Australian No.1 did not play any of the hardcourt warm-ups before Flushing Meadows, so he has plenty of ranking points to gain.
"It was somewhat difficult at the start of the year and mentally taxing knowing that I had zeros on my ranking because I missed Masters events," the current world No.13 said.
"I knew it would be important to put myself in a good position for the back end of the year when I have little to defend, giving hope that I could gain some serious points and momentum and build on the ranking.
"So going into the tail end of the year, I'm excited for the opportunity and hoping I can play good tennis and take care of my chances."
Looking further ahead the Sydneysider added: "I've got the experience now. I've got the knowledge, the physicality side of things. Everything is just there for me to go out and perform.
"I can really have a swing these next three or four years and really show that I'm at my peak and break through some barriers.
"I'm ready to go deep into tournaments. It's just up to myself to put those results right."

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Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final and two other grand slam semi-finals in 2014, beat Emiliana Arango 6-4 2-6 6-2 in Montreal on Monday (Tuesday AEST). The Canadian veteran announced this month she would walk away from the sport after the tournament, but added a condition to that plan in the wake of her thrilling victory in front of a packed crowd. "If I win this tournament, I will not retire," she said in an on-court interview. Playing in only her second singles match of the year, Bouchard blasted a forehand winner to take the first set, but Colombian Arango turned the tables in the second set amid a cascade of unforced errors from her opponent. However, Bouchard broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider and hammered a swinging volley to extend the advantage to 4-1. The 31-year-old wildcard put her hands on her head and then her heart after securing the victory to set up a second round meeting with 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Briton Emma Raducanu beat her good friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-2 6-4 and will next meet 32nd seed Peyton Stearns. "It's very difficult to play someone who you are close to," said Raducanu, who made the semi-finals at last week's Washington Open. "I'm really glad about how I was able to put that to one side for the match and back up a good week in D.C." Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan beat Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault 6-4 6-2 in breezy conditions to set up a second-round meeting with 13th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova. Hometown hero Eugenie Bouchard has battled her way to a three-set victory in the first round of the Canadian Open, a win that has delayed the former world No.5's retirement. Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final and two other grand slam semi-finals in 2014, beat Emiliana Arango 6-4 2-6 6-2 in Montreal on Monday (Tuesday AEST). The Canadian veteran announced this month she would walk away from the sport after the tournament, but added a condition to that plan in the wake of her thrilling victory in front of a packed crowd. "If I win this tournament, I will not retire," she said in an on-court interview. Playing in only her second singles match of the year, Bouchard blasted a forehand winner to take the first set, but Colombian Arango turned the tables in the second set amid a cascade of unforced errors from her opponent. However, Bouchard broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider and hammered a swinging volley to extend the advantage to 4-1. The 31-year-old wildcard put her hands on her head and then her heart after securing the victory to set up a second round meeting with 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Briton Emma Raducanu beat her good friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-2 6-4 and will next meet 32nd seed Peyton Stearns. "It's very difficult to play someone who you are close to," said Raducanu, who made the semi-finals at last week's Washington Open. "I'm really glad about how I was able to put that to one side for the match and back up a good week in D.C." Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan beat Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault 6-4 6-2 in breezy conditions to set up a second-round meeting with 13th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova. Hometown hero Eugenie Bouchard has battled her way to a three-set victory in the first round of the Canadian Open, a win that has delayed the former world No.5's retirement. Bouchard, who reached the Wimbledon final and two other grand slam semi-finals in 2014, beat Emiliana Arango 6-4 2-6 6-2 in Montreal on Monday (Tuesday AEST). The Canadian veteran announced this month she would walk away from the sport after the tournament, but added a condition to that plan in the wake of her thrilling victory in front of a packed crowd. "If I win this tournament, I will not retire," she said in an on-court interview. Playing in only her second singles match of the year, Bouchard blasted a forehand winner to take the first set, but Colombian Arango turned the tables in the second set amid a cascade of unforced errors from her opponent. However, Bouchard broke for a 3-1 lead in the decider and hammered a swinging volley to extend the advantage to 4-1. The 31-year-old wildcard put her hands on her head and then her heart after securing the victory to set up a second round meeting with 17th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Briton Emma Raducanu beat her good friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-2 6-4 and will next meet 32nd seed Peyton Stearns. "It's very difficult to play someone who you are close to," said Raducanu, who made the semi-finals at last week's Washington Open. "I'm really glad about how I was able to put that to one side for the match and back up a good week in D.C." Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan beat Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault 6-4 6-2 in breezy conditions to set up a second-round meeting with 13th-seeded Russian Liudmila Samsonova.


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Bouchard extends career with three-set win in Montreal
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