If you’re Hewitt (or whoever is making these moves for team Australia), why in the world would you pit Kyrgios against RBA?

I get the complication. You would have to start Millman to make the Kyrgios vs. Nadal arrangement work and Nadal could still beat Kyrgios.

This is a Kyrgios problem and AUS’s inability to see how this works is unfathomable and unforgivable. Start Millman vs. RBA. Why? Because RBA is probably beating any of those guys — he’s that good, that dependable, especially with his country’s pride at stake.

Moreover, Kyrgios (I thought everyone knew this) is a club-level player against players not named Rafa, Novak or Roger. He often fails to “get-up” for a match that doesn’t challenge the very nature of his existence (I guess). Something happens when this guy is playing one of the Big 3. No need to explain this: some of us like to challenge the status quo, make a statement, look for more meaning in this world.

Yes, I think Kyrgios can be a very thoughtful guy, has a deeper, more vulnerable side that he hides with all of that mischief and immaturity. His game, like his hidden character, has real depth.

Kyrgios’ H2H with Nadal is 3-4. Playing for Australia and a chance to get to the final of this inaugural event, as the host nation, all could have been added to the reality that he likes to compete with the very top of the sport.

I don’t even know if he tanked vs. RBA, but a report said he got a talking-to by Hewitt during one of the breaks. The score-line looks like a tank. Granted, RBA is good, can beat Kyrgios, no doubt; but given this player’s idiosyncrasies, not matching him up with Nadal is beyond dumb.

You also robbed the tennis world of the possibilities of a brilliant match.

De Minaur went three with Nadal, but don’t kid yourself.

Someone might say: “Hey Mcshow, Millman is 0-5 vs. RBA.”  That’s got as much smarts and strategy as a Hewittian crossword puzzle. I already explained that the switch is made to pit Nadal vs. Kyrgios and besides, Millman is a wildcard. We know he can rise and play some decent tennis; he took RBA to five sets last year in Melbourne.

Bad move, Lleyton.

I caught the tale-end of the Novak v Daniil match. Medvedev is a good ball striker and runs-down just about every ball — and like Nadal he stands 20 feet behind the BL on his ROS. A player with variety has a better game to match-up with this Russian. Watching Novak try to hit through him is almost match suicidal. Those exchanges towards the end of the match seemed like they could have gone either way. Some of the strongest BL tennis you’ll see, for sure.

If you’re Spain tonight, why not have RBA play Djokovic and Feli Lopez or Busta Rhymes play Lajovic? Lopez is 4-1 against the #2 Serb and Busta is 1-1. You probably get the W there and who knows with RBA vs. Djokovic. RBA beat the world #2 last year at Doha and Miami.

Since this whole format is so odd-ball, save Nadal for your doubles, which likely has significance. Djokovic probably beats Nadal for a few reasons.

Just saying. 😀

Enjoy the tennis!