It was tough to imagine Nick Kyrgios was nervous as he delivered a performance as gleaming as the necklace he wore reflecting the vast city lights of New York on Monday night. In his match against Thanasi Kokkinakis, the Australian delivered with the elegance of a matinée idol in complete possession of the silver screen.

Serena Williams‘ impending retirement drew a record attendance to the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre, and the opening act of the farewell to an American icon received glowing reviews. Normally a showstopper for performances ranging from sublime to weird, Kyrgios was cast as the finest supporting actor for one of New York’s most stunning opening nights.

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Even in the fashion stakes, the 23rd seed played the job brilliantly, utilising his huge arsenal in a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) victory without overshadowing the headline attraction. The Canberran’s necklace was beautiful, but it paled in comparison to Williams’ outfit, which included diamonds on the soles of her shoes.

It’s been seven years since Kyrgios and Williams shared equal billing on a billboard mounted to a skyscraper in Queens, positioned to catch the eye of the tens of thousands tennis spectators travelling to Flushing Meadows and the workers commuting into Manhattan on a daily basis.

Kyrgios looked poised to become the prime-time idol on Arthur Ashe Arena that Williams had proven for 25 years, having reached quarter-finals at Wimbledon and Melbourne Park in the 14 months preceding up to the 2015 US Open.

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With his remarkable run to the Wimbledon final and the consistency of his performances since momentarily dropping out of the top 100 earlier this year, he might provide more than a cameo or two on this magnificent court. Kyrgios claimed it was impossible not to be motivated by the queen of tennis when watching her overcome Danka Kovinic from the players room prior to the showdown with his boyhood mate.

“Just the buzz that she brought, you know, breaking history with the amount of people watching and buying tickets, it is incredible,” Kyrgios stated. “That is my goal, to grow the sport as much as I can. Hopefully Serena can keep going and I can keep going as well. To play one of my … best friends after Serena’s possible last match, with a record-breaking attendance, it’s insane. A night I’m never going to forget. My 200th win as well. It was good.”

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Despite the significance of the occasion, this reunion was bittersweet. When Kyrgios beat his younger compatriot to win the Australian Open boys’ title in 2013, it appeared certain that the pair would become frequent fighters contending for major titles. They moved like young giraffes, their legs still wiry and bodies still developing, but it was clear from their serves and forehands that they were players to watch.

Roger Federer was one among those who took notice. He invited both to train with him on an abroad trip. Long before the junior final in Melbourne, the sponsors had pounced on the pair. The move from junior success to senior greatness is challenging, but both Australians got off to a great start. Both have defeated the Swiss superstar. But the couple has also had its fair share of physical and mental challenges.

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There have been highlights, most notably their Australian Open doubles title in January, but tennis has genuinely challenged them both. They’d played against each other in the minors when they were kids, but this was their first meeting as adults. Even though Kyrgios handled it better, it was a trying situation for both of them.

“Our lockers are next to each other [and] I walked over to the Thanasi and said, ‘Look, that was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever felt on a tennis court’,” Kyrgios said. “We’ve been through some things together when I was really struggling. He was always supportive. I room with him. He always cared. I’ve seen him be resilient through all his injuries. We just have respect off the court, which trumps everything on the court. But it was really uncomfortable. I don’t want to do that again, to be honest.”

Kokkinakis shifts his focus to doubles and will have to wait another year for a chance to post the deep grand slam run that Kyrgios and others believe he is capable of. His conqueror will now face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi on Wednesday, and Kyrgios expressed his tiredness of touring again after midnight in New York.

However, in a city where he has caused some controversy, the Wimbledon finalist sees an opportunity. “It is just another challenge that I have to deal with. Last stop here before home, so … let’s see what we can do here,” he said.