Saint Nick delivers five-set win

Nick Kyrgios grabs his head in disbelief after coming back to win in five sets against Richard Gasquet. Source: AFP

Teenager Nick Kyrgios has produced the performance of his life with an astounding five-set Wimbledon victory over French 13th seed Richard Gasquet.

The 19-year-old Australian shocked Gasquet 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-5 10-8 after saving nine match points over four successive service games deep in the fifth set of a titanic encounter.

Signalling he is on track for greater All England Club glories, Kyrgious shoved 2007 semi-finalist Gasquet out of the world's biggest tournament to vindicate reigning champion Andy Murray's high opinion of the youngster.

Ranked 828th last year, Kyrgios is now the world's highest-ranked male teenager at No 144 — and his charge up the standings has caught the attention of the locker room.

He unleashed an extraordinary 81 winners and 19 aces against Gasquet, but his remarkable poise and icy nerves were stand-out features in the finest win of a burgeoning career.

"It's definitely the biggest win of my career so far, especially coming from two sets down," he said.

Nick Kyrgios shakes hands with Richard Gasquet after their second round match at the All England Club. Source: Getty Images

"I'm stoked and just happy to get through again.

"I knew the match points were there for him and I just went through my routine and it was clutch serving that got me through.

"I took my opportunity from there."

Kyrgios will next face Jan Vesely after the Czech sent packing French 24th seed Gael Monfils 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-7 (1-7) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4.

"It's a great opportunity," Kyrgios said.

This win will live long in the memories of the court two crowd who celebrated the emergence of a potential grand slam champion.

Gasquet initially packed too much experience, composure and skill, methodically dissecting the young Australian's heavy armoury.

And the Frenchman got plenty of help early as Kyrgios practically donated the first set by losing the first seven points of the match — most as unforced errors.

Clearly anxious, Kyrgios steadily found his range to trouble Gasquet but his lack of poise at key moments was costly.

There were fitness worries, too, as he called for treatment to his left knee.

The moment of victory after nearly four hours on court. Source: Getty Images

Serving bombs, Krygios also frequently made returning inroads — but could not capitalise against a renowned frontrunner.

Needing to stabilise after surrendering the first set in 27 minutes, Krygios made a positive start to the second set.

But he was foiled by Gasquet's signature backhand and lost serve again with a botched volley.

The Canberran's hoisted a ball skywards out of the court in frustration, drawing a warning from umpire Mohamed Lahyani.

Unperturbed, Kyrgios knuckled down and deservedly broke back to draw level at 5-all after Gasquet blundered when serving for the set at 5-4.

Although the tiebreak, sarcastically berating himself "Good serving, Nick. Well done", he had no intentions of meekly submitting.

And when he broke Gasquet's delivery in the seventh game of the third set after pouncing on an ambitious drop shot, he was back in the hunt — albeit with a long road ahead.

The Australian talent pocketed the set with a cracking forehand winner, bouncing energetically on his toes as Gasquet trudged to his chair.

He continued to search for excellence, castigating himself with "No, no, not on" after essaying a risky drop shot.

Kyrgios' natural exuberance comes to the fore after winning a game against Gasquet. Source: AFP

When Gasquet hit an improbable winner down the line, he said: "That's just unbelievable."

Serving second in the fourth set, Kyrgios was inevitably going to face increasing pressure as the match wore on.

After bravely holding serve for 5-5, when he twice slumped to within two points of losing, Kyrgios said: "It's crunch time now."

And so it was.

The ACT prodigy mauled Gasquet with heavy drives before drilling a precision backhand onto baseline chalk to break serve and serve for the set at 6-5.

Staving off two break points with a searing forehand pass and a backhand volley winner, Kyrgios coolly navigated his way into a decider.

Kyrgios fended off more crisis moments in the sixth game of the fifth set when behind 2-3.

A successful challenge kept him on terms with Gasquet after both the linesman and Layhani ruled Kyrgios's forehand wide.

Kyrgios saved three match points before levelling at 5-all, riding his huge serve and punishing groundstrokes to defy Gasquet.

Gasquet with his stylish follow-through after a big serve. Source: Getty Images

The teenager saved two more match points at 5-6, the second after a successful Hawk-Eye appeal overturned a double fault call.

Gasquet choked on a third chance to clinch victory when his backhand collapsed,

It deserted him again two games later on his seventh match point, as Kygrios refused to yield.

His persistence paid off when he earned a break point on Gasquet's serve at 7-all, but he was thwarted by an ace.

Kyrgios again twice strayed into danger, but nervelessly saved two more match points with massive bombs.

Exasperated, Gasquet finally cracked with a sloppy forehand after nearly four hours to drop serve and hand Kyrgios the opportunity to serve out the match with new balls.

When Gasquet challenged a Krygios ace on the first point of the final game, the Australian said: "There's no way that's out."

He was right.

Kyrgios unleashes that massive forehand weapon of his. Source: AFP

In other matches, lucky loser Simone Bolelli, beaten in the final round of qualifying by Sam Groth, made the most of a second chance call-up to the main draw by eliminating German 23rd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber.

One of several losers in last round qualifying belatedly included as a replacement for injured players, Bolelli advanced 4-6 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5.

He will next face Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori, who powered into the last 32 with a 6-3 6-2 6-1 American Denis Kudla.

Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic dismissed American Jack Sock 6-3 6-4 6-4.

French 24th seed Gael Monfils was sent packing 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-7 (1-7) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 by Czech Jan Vesely.

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