Khachanov, meanwhile, stood on the opposite side of the net with his hands up, celebrating his 7-5 4-6 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4 victory.
“I honestly feel like not,” Kyrgios told reporters. “I feel like I’ve let so many people down. These four tournaments [the grand slams] they are the only ones that will ever matter. It’s like you have to start all over again. I have to wait until the Australian Open. It’s just devastating. Like, it’s heartbreaking. Not just for me, but for everyone I know who wants me to win.”
The first set went to 35 minutes, dominated by long serves from both players until some errors on Kyrgios’ final serve gave Khachanov the break and the set.
A forced break followed as the Australian took a medical time-out for treatment on his left knee before rallying to level the match in the second set.
“Obviously I’ve been playing a lot of tennis the last couple of months … I just split the stride and improved it a little bit,” he later said of his knee. “I ended up feeling good. I got some Deep Heat. Everyone’s carrying a little bit of a pinch right now.”
Kyrgios’ momentum seemed to spill over in the third set as he created two break points on Khachanov’s opening serve and then two more at 4-4. However, he failed to convert any of these opportunities and it was Khachanov who seized his chance to break at 6-5 and retake the lead.
Frustrated at losing that set, Kyrgios broke a water bottle during the changeover and was cautioned for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The 27-year-old has already been fined $18,500 for four separate offenses at this year’s US Open, including spitting, cursing and breaking his racket, according to Reuters.
Although Kyrgios forced a fifth set, Khachanov broke in the opening game, saved break points in the next two service games and closed out the match to advance to the semi-finals of a grand slam for the first time. He will now face Casper Ruud on Friday for a place in the US Open final.
“I’m very happy, proud that I was able to finish the race, I could take it,” Khachanov said. “Service for the match [is] never easy. Yes, I’m very happy to have taken that step forward to reach my first semi-final.”
It also marked the end of Kyrgios’ most successful year at the grand slams since reaching the Wimbledon final in July.
“That’s what people remember in a grand slam, whether you win or lose. I think almost every other tournament during the year is really a waste of time. You’ve just got to run and show up in a grand slam, that’s what they remember .”
