ROGER Federer taunted Nick Kyrgios for his shot-making audacity after delivering a tennis masterclass to send the flashy Australian packing from the US Open in New York.

The 20-times grand slam champion produced some at-times breathtaking tennis in sweeping past Kyrgios 6-4 6-1 7-5 in their much hyped third-round showdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Federer’s emphatic victory set up a last-16 meeting with another Australian, unseeded journeyman John Millman for a place in the quarter-final.

Gracious himself in defeat, Kyrgios lamented not converting any of four break- point chances in the seventh game of the opening set, in which he had Federer down love-40.

“I take one of those points, the match is wide open,” Kyrgios said. “He’s not going to play as well as he did towards the end of the first set or into the second set. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.” While it was opportunity lost for Kyrgios, Federer raised his game to imperious levels after the reprieve.

At one point, the Swiss marvel played one of the shots of his career, a jaw- dropping around-the-net-post forehand winner that left even his vanquished opponent in awe.

“Oh my god. Yeah, it was unbelievable. I’m probably going to place it on Instagram,” Kyrgios said.

But it was Kyrgios’s questionable shot-making that led to Federer subtly twisting the knife afterwards.

The former world No. 1 felt Kyrgios paid the price for attempting a low- percentage fancy drop shot at 40-15 while trying to serve for a 6-5 lead in the third set.

When it caught the net, Federer took full advantage, breaking Kyrgios for a fourth time before closing out the match the very next game. “He should have hit a normal forehand in the open court and he chooses to go for sort of the drop shot, which at the end cost him the match,” Federer said. “So clearly when you play that way and you lose, it’s always, like, you feel like he’s so much to blame, but that’s just how he plays.

“But today I think he didn’t come up with the goods when he really had to, and I was good, I think, by making him hit that extra shot.

“Things worked well for me today.”

Kyrgios even imitated Federer’s service motion at one point, which the Swiss was unable to return.

But he said no matter what he tried, Federer had the answers. “He was too good,” Kyrgios said.

“I thought the first set was key.

“Got to the business end of the first set, crucial moment, played a terrible service game — didn’t make any first serves.

“It was tough. I knew how important that first set was.

“He loosened up straightaway after that. He started playing some shots that we all know he can make.

“All the pressure was off him.

“He’s an unbelievable frontrunner. When he gets in front, there’s not much you can do.”

I SHOULD LEARN FROM FEDERER, SAYS ‘DONE NOTHING’ KYRGIOS
Nick Kyrgios believes he can learn from Roger Federer if he’s to salvage a controversial career which has seen little return on the bags of talent at his disposal.

For many, his visit to New York this year was his tennis career in a nutshell. Exasperated by a perceived lack of effort in his second round match, umpire Mohamed Lahyani even controversially came down from his chair in a desperate attempt to get the Australian to try harder.

Now, having lost for the third time to Federer, Kyrgios believes the great Swiss can steer him on the right path.

“I think we’re two very different characters,” said Kyrgios. “But I think, you know, just the way he goes about things, I could take a leaf out of his book.

“The way he behaves on court, his demeanour. He’s the ultimate role model to anyone who wants to play.”

Saturday’s defeat left Kyrgios still unable to improve on his best Grand Slam performances — runs to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2014 and last-eight in Australia in 2015.

At Roland Garros and the US Open, he has never reached the second week. He still has time on his side, but he knows that the clock is ticking.

“I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied with my career. I think there is a lot more to be done and there is a lot more to be explored,” he said.

“In my career, I have been around for about four years now. I have barely done anything. I think I can do a lot more.”

Federer was 21 when he won his first Slam at Wimbledon in 2003 and admitted he’s happy to be regarded as a role model, if not necessarily for Kyrgios.

US legend John McEnroe suggested the Swiss could perform a powerful mentoring role for the combustible Kyrgios.

“To play fair and play tough,” said Federer on Saturday when asked what he can offer to young players.

“If I can be any sort of inspiration for guys coming up on the tour, that would be great, you know, in whatever shape and form that is.”