Nick Kyrgios overcomes slow start to beat Alexandre Muller at Murray River Open

Returning to action for the first time since last February, world no. 47 Nick Kyrgios had to dig deep to beat world no. 209 Alexandre Muller 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.

The encounter lasted for an hour and 52 minutes, and Kyrgios had to deal both with his opponent and his left knee that caused him troubles. In the end, he did enough to prevail and advance into the second round at the Murray River Open, facing the fellow Aussie Harry Bourchier in the second round.

Nick blasted 22 aces and got broken twice from three chances offered to Alexandre. The French player also lost serve twice, and they stayed neck and neck in the deciding set until the tie break, that Kyrgios claimed with three mini-breaks.

Muller produced five commanding holds in the opener and stole Kyrgios' serve in game seven to take it 6-3. The Aussie bounced back with a break in the second set's fourth game, opening a 4-1 lead before Muller pulled the break back in game nine to reduce the deficit.

Serving to level the score at 5-5, the Frenchman got broken and allowed Kyrgios to force a decider. Nothing could separate them in the final set before the tie break that Nick won 7-4 to emerge at the top and celebrate the first victory in over a year.

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