Australian No.1 Nick Kyrgios has won through to his first ATP tour final on home soil after upsetting defending champion Grigor Dimitrov 3-6 6-1 6-4 in the Brisbane International semi-finals.
World No.21 Kyrgios – ranked 18 spots lower than the Bulgarian – overcame another slow start to knock off Dimitrov and book a Sunday final against unseeded American Ryan Harrison.
Third seed Kyrgios, 22, earned his first career win on his third attempt against world No.3 Dimitrov at Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday to book his seventh overall career ATP tour final berth.
He has three singles titles but all were won during the 2016 season: Tokyo, Atlanta, Marseille.
He will take on world No.47 Harrison who ended Australian wildcard Alex de Minaur’s giant killing run with a three set semi-final win on Saturday.
Kyrgios will be vying for his first title since Tokyo and fourth overall.
He is the first Australian into the Brisbane International final since Lleyton Hewitt claimed the 2014 title.
Kyrgios ended the 26-year-old Dimitrov’s seven match winning streak stretching back from 2017.
The Australian’s world ranking will improve to 18 after reaching the Brisbane final and will climb to 17 if he claims the title.
Dimitrov looked like extending his unbeaten streak against Kyrgios when he broke in the sixth game to win the first set in 30 minutes.
Kyrgios then flicked the switch, slotting seven aces and 15 winners to overwhelm Dimitrov and take the second set in 29 minutes.
A forehand error by Dimitrov gifted Kyrgios the break in the seventh game of the third and the Australian didn’t look back.