Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios continued to make a splash on home soil Tuesday, downing sixth seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open.
The Australians fired 25 aces and won 86 per cent (49/57) of their first-serve points to advance after two hours and 16 minutes in front of a lively crowd on Kia Arena.
"These guys are really good. Everyone we play now, everyone we have played since we started [have been] really good opponents," Kokkinakis said. "We're stoked with this win. We came [up] big in the big points. And, yeah, obviously the guys are experienced veterans but we're going to keep playing how we play, enjoy it, have fun, and use the crowd."
According to Kyrgios, the Aussies have been focussing less on their opponents, and more on executing their own games.
"I just know if we play our game and we can use the crowd, use the energy, serve well, worry about us, don't worry about the external, just control what we can control, we'll be fine," Kyrgios said. "Today we knew there were going to be some ups and downs. That's a bloody good doubles pair we played today. They obviously had a great year last year. You could tell they were tough. They didn't really drop their level at all."
The wild cards will meet Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the last four after the third seeds overcame John Peers and Filip Polasek 7-6(5), 6-4 in one hour and 49 minutes.
The Spanish-Argentine tandem saved a set point on serve at 5-6, 30/40 in the first set, before they broke twice in the second set to seal their victory.
Granollers and Zaballos have won six tour-level titles as a team, including three ATP Masters 1000 crowns. However, they are still searching for their first major together.
The Australians fired 25 aces and won 86 per cent (49/57) of their first-serve points to advance after two hours and 16 minutes in front of a lively crowd on Kia Arena.
"These guys are really good. Everyone we play now, everyone we have played since we started [have been] really good opponents," Kokkinakis said. "We're stoked with this win. We came [up] big in the big points. And, yeah, obviously the guys are experienced veterans but we're going to keep playing how we play, enjoy it, have fun, and use the crowd."
According to Kyrgios, the Aussies have been focussing less on their opponents, and more on executing their own games.
"I just know if we play our game and we can use the crowd, use the energy, serve well, worry about us, don't worry about the external, just control what we can control, we'll be fine," Kyrgios said. "Today we knew there were going to be some ups and downs. That's a bloody good doubles pair we played today. They obviously had a great year last year. You could tell they were tough. They didn't really drop their level at all."
The wild cards will meet Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the last four after the third seeds overcame John Peers and Filip Polasek 7-6(5), 6-4 in one hour and 49 minutes.
The Spanish-Argentine tandem saved a set point on serve at 5-6, 30/40 in the first set, before they broke twice in the second set to seal their victory.
Granollers and Zaballos have won six tour-level titles as a team, including three ATP Masters 1000 crowns. However, they are still searching for their first major together.