Nick Kyrgios DOMINATES early in first round of Australian Open against Liam Broady

Nick Kyrgios has dominated in the opening two sets of his first round Australian Open match declaring ‘I’m back’ and ‘This is my house’ to his shell shocked opponent. 

The Australian blasted 16 aces in the first two sets going up 6-4, 6-4 against the UK’s Liam Broady at John Cain Arena court at Melbourne Park. 

The 26-year-old was up to his old tricks from the very beginning of the contest, slamming down a 220km serve in just the second game before following it up with his trademark underarm serve between his legs.

It was a hostile environment for the 28-year-old making his debut at the grand slam with fanatical Aussie fans jeering the Brit as he took the court.

Commentator Jim Courier remarked that he’d ‘never seen that before’ in the normally cordially sport of tennis. 

The Australian dominated in the opening set of his first round Australian Open match declaring ‘I’m back’ and ‘This is my house’ to his shell shocked opponent

It’s been an extremely difficult preparation for the polarising athlete, being diagnosed with Covid just over a week ago.

Kyrgios was forced to isolated during that time and only flew down to Melbourne with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi on Sunday. 

In a candid interview on the eve of the tournament, the tennis bad boy took a brutal swipe at his rival Bernard Tomic as he ridiculed the world No. 260’s return to the sport. 

Tomic, 29, made headlines in December when the former world No. 17 announced he was making a comeback after stepping away from major tournaments over the past few years. 

But Kyrgios appears to think his fellow Aussie should have stayed off the court after packing away his rackets. 

Asked whether he would be returning for the 2023 Australian Open, Kyrgios said he still hasn’t decided – but once he retires, it will be final. 

Costeen Hatzi watches her boyfriend Nick Kyrgios of Australia play his round one singles match against Liam Broady of Great Britain

Smooch: The pair sat close together in between sets, removing their masks to share kisses

Kyrgios was forced to isolated during that time and only flew down to Melbourne with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi on Sunday

‘I’m not Bernard Tomic, and I won’t give you some outrageous bulls***,’ Kyrgios told the Herald Sun on Tuesday. 

‘I’ll be honest and say I’m going to soak up every moment of this AO. I don’t know what I’ll be doing in a year’s time.’

The Canberra native said he was comfortable with taking things as they come and living in the moment was all part of the ‘journey’. 

‘I know my personality, I know how unpredictable I feel, I know I live spontaneously. I don’t know what I’ll be doing in a year,’ he said. 

Kyrgios said when he retires, it will be for good, labelling Tomic’s comeback to tennis ‘outrageous bulls***’. The pair are pictured prior to their match at Kooyong Classic tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 9, 2019

Despite the infection setting back his AO preparation, the world no. 115 was determined to get on top of his game and quarantined at close friend and fellow player Matt Reid’s home, which has a backyard tennis court.

‘I’m feeling OK but COVID definitely knocked me around a fair bit, in the sense that I definitely don’t feel as good as I did three weeks ago, or two weeks ago, confidence-wise,’ Kyrgios told The Age on Monday. 

The winner of Monday’s match will go up against world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the second round after the Russian took out Swiss Henri Laaksonen with a straight-sets victory on Tuesday.