Kyrgios plays down Harrison rivalry

Nick Kyrgios insists there is no history to speak of ahead of a potentially spicy Brisbane International final against American Ryan Harrison.

The pair will meet for the third time on Sunday, with Kyrgios untroubled in their previous encounters and at short odds to win after impressively toppling world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov 3-6 6-1 6-4 on Saturday to reach his first ATP final on home soil.

The 22-year-old has shown commendable calm in fighting from behind in all three matches this week and now boasts a 6-4 career record against players ranked 1-3.

But the Australian men’s No.1 is being careful to keep a lid on things as his form and physical condition improves ahead of this month’s Australian Open.

Kyrgios’ apparent newfound tranquillity could be tested by Harrison though.

In 2015 the American exchanged mid-match verbals with Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in the wake of Kyrgios’ infamous “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend” sledge directed at Stan Wawrinka.

Harrison took exception to the comment and aimed his displeasure at Kokkinakis, with the pair needing to be separated by officials in a match that came one week after the incident.

“If he wants to get into it, I will bury him. Wawrinka should have decked Kyrgios, and I should deck that kid,” American freelance tennis writer Ben Rothenberg quoted Harrison as saying.

But when quizzed about any history between the pair after his win on Saturday night, Kyrgios suggested his dominance of Harrison would negate the need for any cat fights.

“I don’t think so. The matches haven’t been very close, so I don’t really know why there’s much history there,” he said.

“I know what he’s going to bring, but at the same time it’s going to be a tough match.”

Third seed Kyrgios’ ranking will move to No.18 after reaching the final and climb to 17 if he disposes of Harrison, who denied fans an all-Australian decider by defying teenager Alex De Minaur on Saturday.

Harrison is prepared for anything from the Canberra firebrand and is relying on his own composure to handle it.

“He gives you some cheap holds where he might not necessarily be all in it for a second, but then he has some ability to produce a really high level,” the world No.47 said.

“It’s going to be important that I take every single step of the way as very, very important.

“A break at 0-1 in the first set can be just as damaging as 4-5, because at times he can take the racquet out of your hand.”