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Nick Kyrgios delights Australian Open crowd with five-set victory

Australian number one Nick Kyrgios comes through a stern first-round test against Federico Delbonis in the first round of the Australian Open.

Australian number one Nick Kyrgios booked his place in the second round of his home Grand Slam with a hard-fought five-set victory over Federico Delbonis on day one of the Australian Open.

Nick Kyrgios in action on day one of the Australian Open on January 19, 2015© Getty Images

The 19-year-old, whose match was the last on court on Monday in Melbourne, now joins five other Aussie men in the next stage, including 18-year-old Thanasi Kokkinakis, who stunned 11th seed Ernests Gulbis.

Kyrgios took the first set 7-2 in a tie-break on Margaret Court Arena before the pair traded 6-3 scorelines in the second and third.

There would be another breaker in the fourth, but this time world number 62 Delbonis triumphed 7-5 to force a decider.

Spurred on by the buoyant crowd as the clock ticked towards midnight, Kyrgios made a crucial break midway through the fifth before serving it out 6-3.

The world number 53 will next face big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic on Wednesday.

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