Karen Khachanov beat Nick Kyrgios to reach the US Open semi-final. Kyrgios was seen releasing his frustration on a pair of rackets shortly after the match ended around 1 AM on Wednesday. The Australian tennis player suffered a  5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6 defeat.

Karen Khachanov, 26, is now scheduled to play against No. 5 Casper Ruud on Friday. The two will fight it out for a place in the US Open championship match.

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“I’m really proud of myself,” Khachanov said after the game. “I was really focused from the beginning to the end”, he added, according to news agency Associated Press.

Kyrgios had a chance to break at 4-all in the third, but couldn’t convert, flubbing a forehand, then spiked his racket. Two games later, he put a backhand into the net to drop that set, then sat in his changeover chair, dumped his racket and threw a drink, drawing a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Khachanov came within two points of victory while ahead 6-5 as Kyrgios served in the fourth set. Kyrgios held on there and dominated the ensuing tiebreaker to force a fifth.

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Casper Ruud headed into the 2022 season with just one Grand Slam appearance that lasted as far as the fourth round anywhere and was determined to improve his record at the four most important events in tennis.

Then, a day before the Australian Open began in January, he twisted his ankle in practice and needed to withdraw. Hardly ideal. Just look at him now: Ruud is into the semifinals at the US Open and has a shot at moving up to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, following a run to the final at the French Open.