Local hope Nick Kyrgios's Australian Open odyssey is over following a gallant quarter-final loss to tennis world number six Andy Murray.
Nick Kyrgios plays a shot against Andy Murray at the 2015 Australian Open. Photo: AFP
Murray upstaged Australia's exciting young showman 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in their last-eight match at Melbourne Park.
Kyrgios had been bidding to become the youngest grand slam semi-finalist since Rafael Nadal won the 2005 French Open, but instead fell victim to the class and vast experience of Scotland's two-time grand slam champion.
The Wimbledon and US Open winner snared three of the only four service breaks of the match and won the pivotal second-set tiebreaker to set up a semi-final on Thursday night against Tomas Berdych.
Berdych earlier smashed his nine-year, 17-match hoodoo against Nadal to move to within one tantalising win of his second career grand slam final.
The seventh-seeded Czech will carry a 6-4 head-to-head lead over Murray and be brimming with confidence after marching into the last four without dropping a set.
Murray has been no less impressive this campaign and showed there was no room for sentiment as he ended Australia's singles interest in the Open after two hours and five minutes.
The first Australian to contest a quarter-final at Melbourne Park since Jelena Dokic's in 2009, Kyrgios made a solid enough start to the match.
He had Murray under pressure in his first couple of service games whole holding his own comfortably.
But a lapse in concentration proved costly as four unforced errors from 30-love up gifted Murray the opening break in the sixth game.
From 4-2 up, Murray was untroubled in serving the first set out, Kyrgios' growing frustration earning him code violation for an audible obscenity from the chair umpire.
Kyrgios had to fight off another break point in the opening game of the second set as his forehand error count continued to mount.
He steadied, though, and began to work his way into the contest as games went to serve all the way to the fluctuating second-set tiebreaker.
Murray was up 2-0, then down 3-2 and a mini break, after a huge backhand from Kyrgios forced the Scot into error.
Kyrgios blew his advantage with another mistake as Murray produced a beautiful topspin lob to regain the edge.
He handed it back with a double-fault, only for Kyrgios to again blunder on his forehand to give Murray a set point.
There was controversy when Kyrgios smashed his racquet but umpire Carlos Ramos refused to penalise the teenager.
Murray was livid as a point penalty - for a second code violation - would have won him the set.
Instead Murray produced a magical backhand topspin lob to seize a two-sets-to-love advantage.
Having won his last 99 grand slam matches from such a commanding lead, Murray had Kyrgios on the ropes.
The Scot looked to have dealt the knockout blow when he broke again for a 4-2 lead.
Kyrgios, though, made one last stand, breaking Murray for the only time to get back to 4-3, only for the world No.6 to break straight back before serving out the match.
