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Featured Image Credit: Australian Open
Topics: Australia, Australian Open, Nick Kyrgios
Ryan Sidle
Topics: Australia, Australian Open, Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australian Open men's doubles final, to wrap up an incredible day for Australian tennis at Melbourne Park.
Kyrgios is one of the most controversial athletes in the world, with the tennis star splitting opinion on his on and off court actions and antics.
The Australian often frustrates fans because his obvious natural talents are not paired with the perceived harder work of other, more successful, players.
There have often been questions about his desire and the fact that it would mean he won't be as successful as he might be, but he is also one of the sports truly great personalities and is often entertaining to watch.
Despite all the questions about him, on Saturday he finally shut some of his critics up when, against all the odds at the beginning of the tournament, he and fellow Australian Kokkinakis, who is a childhood friend, won the men's doubles at the year's first slam.
On Rod Laver Arena, in front of a raucus crowd, they defeated fellow Australian pair Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell 7-5, 6-4.
The victorious duo, who have become known as Special K, have been friends for a number of years, since playing on the junior tours together.
The pair received a wild card entry into the doubles tournament at this year's open and have really lit up the competition in a way most wouldn't have expected.
In the second round they defeated Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic and then beat third seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the semi final, the fourth pair of seeds they beat on the way to the final.
Their win over their fellow unseeded Aussies means it's the second doubles even they've won in a slam as a twosome, having won the Boy's doubles at Wimbledon in 2013.
The winning pair needed just one break of serve in each set to win the final and, despite a raucous and largely one sided crowd in favour of them, there wasn't much of the controversy that often follows Kyrgios.
The only moment of concern came late in the second set when one member of the crowd called out during a serve from Ebden and Purcell, putting them off.
After winning the point the pair spoke to the umpire and Kyrgios in turn asked for the member of the crowd, who was quickly identified, to be thrown out, he left relatively quickly with his two friends.
The Australian crowd had earlier seen a 44 year run without a home Grand Slam winner come to an end as Ash Barty beat Danielle Collins.
Barty had been in imperious form throughout the tournament and won the first set 6-3. However she found herself 5-1 down in the second set and struggling.
The reigning Wimbledon champion fought back from the double break to force a tie break, which she then won 7-2 and kicked off a hell of a day for Australian sport.