ATP: Kyrgios and Djokovic perform the “Tie Break Tens”.

For the first time, the show fight “Tie Break Tens” will be held in the run-up to a Grand Slam tournament: On the 10th day of the competition, the “Tie Break Tens” will take place. On 1 January Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic will serve in Melbourne.

The first “Tie Break Tens”format was stand-alone in London (with winner Kyle Edmund), followed in 2016 by the second attempt before the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Vienna (Dominic Thiem won in front of the home crowd), and Madrid was the venue for the short tournament in the past season. In the run-up to the Masters-1000er – and for the first time also with a competition for the ladies.

From this point of view, there can only be one increase. And the Australian Open is once again a great place to be. On the 10th. January 2018 will be played for the first time directly in front of a Grand Slam tournament for the winning cheque of 250,000 US dollars, in Melbourne Park on Show Court number 1. And with a prominent attendance: only two of the eight participants are certain, but the two of them have it in themselves. Novak Djokovic is one, Nick Kyrgios the other.

For local hero Kyrgios, not only a stage where he can present himself to local fans, but also an opportunity to generate funds for his foundation, the NK Foundation,”I can’t wait to go to court,”says Kyrgios. Clearly, the expected tennis sport is exciting, but the attention for the NK Foundation is just as important.

It is obvious that the well-known strong serve Kyrgios in a format in which only up to the win of a match tiebreak to ten (with two points difference) is played has good chances.

“Tie Break Tens is a really good match for my game,”says Kyrgios. I’m looking forward to having fun, and I assume that the audience is really going along. This will be the perfect opportunity for fans to see top-quality tennis before the Australian Open.”

Craig Tiley, Tournament Director of the first Grand Slam event of the year, hits the same horn:”The format has already generated a lot of interest and we are looking forward to many exciting matches,”says Tiley.”It’s fast, it’s dazzling, and everyone has fun. These events are a great way to win new fans for tennis.”