Nick Kyrgios received a warning for spitting and complained about the smell of marijuana but just about kept his cool to clinch a second-round victory over Benjamin Bonzi at the US Open.
The Australian is one of the title favourites after his run to the Wimbledon final and strong form on the North American hard courts, and he admitted he is putting a lot of pressure on himself after battling to a 7-6 (3) 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory.
"I wasn't going out there expecting him to not be good or something," Kyrgios said of the Frenchman. "But his level was really, really good. I was really fortunate to get through in four sets. I was down 4-4 0-40 in the fourth, I played some really low-percentage tennis to get out of that game.
"It was one of those matches where you kind of survive. I am relatively happy with my form. It’s so stressful now because, every match I play, I’m expecting to play so good.
"I’ve got to probably lower the expectation of expecting to play like a Wimbledon final every time. I almost don’t know who I am any more, to be honest, because that’s not me.
"I feel like I’m really professional right now. I never thought that the Wimbledon final would make me that way. I thought it would be the other way, the reverse, almost a bit lax and a bit chilled with it."
The warning came after Kyrgios dropped serve late in the second set, with the Australian berating his support camp.
On his marijuana complaints, meanwhile, which led the umpire to remind the crowd not to smoke, Kyrgios said: "I’m a heavy asthmatic. When I’m running side to side, I’m struggling to breathe, probably not something I want to be breathing in in between points."
The Australian next faces unseeded American JJ Wolf.
World number one Daniil Medvedev was given the late shift on Arthur Ashe Stadium after the Serena Williams show but avoided any drama against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, coming through 6-2 7-5 6-3 to set up a clash with Wu Yibing, who became the first Chinese player to reach the third round at the US Open.
Briton Jack Draper produced a stunning performance to defeat sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and join Andy Murray in the third round of the US Open.
Murray reached the last 32 at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2016 earlier in the day, coming from a set down to defeat American wild card Emilio Nava 5-7 6-3 6-1 6-0.
But he was upstaged in the night session by 20-year-old Draper, who has improved at lightning speed this season and dominated last year's semi-finalist Auger-Aliassime in a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory.
Speaking on court, former champion Murray said: "Physically this is the best I have felt in the last few years. My movement is by far the best it has been in a long time, that has always been a really important part of my game.
"Nowadays, especially with a lot of the guys hitting a huge ball, you need to be able to defend well. I feel like I am doing that just now. I am getting closer to where I want to be and hopefully I can have a deep run here."
