Birrell Shocks Navarro as Djokovic-Kyrgios Doubles Streak Ends in Brisbane
Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell delivered the biggest upset of the Brisbane International so far, stunning world No. 8 Emma Navarro on Wednesday in a thrilling straight-sets victory. Meanwhile, the much-hyped doubles pairing of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios saw their run come to a halt against top seeds Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic.
Birrell, ranked 113, faced the formidable Navarro, who had an exceptional 2024 season highlighted by a semifinal appearance at the US Open. Despite the odds, the 26-year-old Australian put on a nerveless display, leveraging her familiarity with the Pat Rafter Arena and thrilling the home crowd with her resilience and precision.
"I just had to go for it," Birrell said. "That mindset really helped, along with all the hours I’ve spent on this court." Her victory sets up a last-16 clash against Russia's 35th-ranked Anastasia Potapova.
Elsewhere, defending men's champion Grigor Dimitrov continued his impressive Brisbane record, cruising past Australian wildcard Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 7-6 (7/5). The world No. 10 dominated the first set before fending off a spirited challenge from Vukic in the second.
"I'm finding my rhythm, but there's still room for improvement," Dimitrov said. The Bulgarian, a two-time Brisbane champion, will now face either Jordan Thompson or Alex Michelson for a place in the semifinals.
The much-anticipated doubles team of Djokovic and Kyrgios, who reunited for the tournament, fell short in their second-round match against Venus and Mektic. Despite a strong second set, the pair lost a tense match tiebreak 6-2, 3-6, 10/8 after leading by three points.
"Playing against them, you know you're up against incredible talent," said Venus. "We were down, but we managed to claw back and get the win."
As the Brisbane International heats up, the tournament promises more drama ahead of the Australian Open.
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