Kyrgios and Kokkinakis go down fighting in Brisbane doubles thriller

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis lost 6-0, 1-6 (10-6) to Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in the Brisbane International round of 16 after rallying in the second set but falling behind 0-5 in the deciding match tiebreak.

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis were beaten by Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in the Brisbane International round-of-16 doubles match. The French pair prevailed 6-0, 1-6 (10-6) at Pat Rafter Arena. The Australians mounted a strong response in the second set and rallied in the match tiebreak but could not complete the comeback. The result has been noted alongside ongoing discussion about Kyrgios and remaining Australian Open wildcards. Match details: - The No. 6 seeds Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul defeated Kyrgios and Kokkinakis 6-0, 1-6 (10-6) in the round of 16. - Kyrgios and Kokkinakis lost the first set 6-0, won the second set 6-1, then fell 0-5 early in the first-to-10 match tiebreak before narrowing the gap to 6-8; the French duo won the next two points to close the tiebreak. - Kyrgios repeatedly encouraged Kokkinakis during the match, telling him, "When we overthink things, it's not us. We play on instinct, then we feel it. Just play on instinct." - During the second set Kyrgios noticed Kokkinakis dealing with a sore neck and gave him a quick massage; Kokkinakis produced notable shots including a powerful ace and backhand winners that lifted the crowd. - The pair won the Australian Open doubles title in 2022 but have been affected by injuries since then; they began this Brisbane campaign with a surprise three-set win over Matt Ebden and Rajeev Ram. Summary: The defeat ended Kyrgios and Kokkinakis's run in Brisbane despite a spirited second-set recovery and a late tiebreak fight. The article reports the loss is unlikely to harm Kyrgios's Australian Open wildcard hopes. Undetermined at this time.