Davis Cup: Kyrgios, Thompson give Australia 2-0 lead over U.S.

Kyrgios won 7-5, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) after Jordan Thompson upset Jack Sock 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 on the hard court at Pat Rafter Arena.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia reacts after winning a point in his match against John Isner of the U.S. at the Davis Cup World Group quarterfinal in Brisbane on Friday.

Nick Kyrgios finished off John Isner with his 20th ace to give Australia a 2-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup quarterfinal on Friday.

Kyrgios won 7-5, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) after Jordan Thompson upset Jack Sock 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 on the hard court at Pat Rafter Arena. Australia can clinch the tie and advance to a semifinal in September against Italy or Belgium with a win on Saturday in doubles. Sam Groth and John Peers are scheduled to play the American pair of Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson.

“Hopefully we can close it out tomorrow, it’s been an unbelievable day,” Kyrgios said.

The 79th-ranked Thompson won both of his singles in his Davis Cup debut against the Czech Republic in February, and he continued that form over No. 15 Sock, the highest-ranked player in the quarterfinal.

Sock looked out of sorts at times and served two double faults to hand Thompson his first break at 5-3. The American rallied to win the second set, then recovered from 4-1 down to level the third set before Thompson won it in a tiebreaker. Thompson clinched the match in the fourth set by breaking Sock’s service twice.

“I just tried to wear him down, and I thought I was fit enough to do that,” Thompson said. “I was not trying to go too big, that’s not within my game.”