Aussies Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios & Thanasi Kokkinakis sweep Atlanta titles

ATLANTA, Ga. — There were red, white and blue flags flying high after the Atlanta Open finals on Sunday, but it wasn’t to signal a home victory.

Australian players swept the singles and doubles titles at the ATP 250 event, as Alex de Minaur defeated Jenson Brooksby to claim his second Atlanta trophy and Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won an all-Aussie final against Jason Kubler and John Peers.

“I’d like to thank the crowd,” De Minaur said, after his 6-3, 6-3 win over 21-year-old American Jenson Brooksby. “You guys were amazing.

“I’m not a local, but you guys sure made me feel like one, so I really appreciate the support.”

De Minaur was up against Brooksby for the first time, and got a front-row view of what makes the American player’s game so confounding to overcome. Brooksby frequently changed the rhythm in rallies, and dug deep into his signature variety to keep de Minaur on his toes.

"I was disappointed with my performance out there today, but you’ve got to think long term and see how consistently you can produce your focus in those results," Brooksby said afterward.

"I just need to learn from that one and keep sticking in the present. I’ve got three tournaments coming up, so I’ve just got to be able to build off this week."

The 23-year-old dropped serve only once in the hour and 31-minute contest, and broke Brooksby four times in turn. De Minaur, who lifted the trophy here in 2019, improved to 9-1 in Atlanta as he won his first ATP title of the year.

“It was great to get another title under my name. It’s my sixth title. It feels good. Not a lot of people have been able to do that, so I feel great,” De Minaur said.

“I feel great about my game. I’ve put a lot of work in, so it’s great to see the hard work being rewarded.”

In doubles, the reigning Australian Open champions Kyrgios and Kokkinakis had to do double duty on Sunday after thunderstorms washed out the previous day’s play.

The No. 2 seeds navigated past No. 3 seeds Rajeev Ram and Jack Sock in a tight 6-4, 6-7 (7), 10-2 semifinal battle, the longest match of the day at an hour and 43 minutes. They were back on Stadium Court after De Minaur’s victory to face countrymen Kubler and Peers in the final.

It was another tightly contested match, with Kyrgios and Kokkinakis raining down 15 aces and not dropping serve across two sets to win 7-6 (4), 7-5. The title marks their second doubles trophy of the year together, after claiming their first Grand Slam title on home soil at the start of the season.

According to ATP Tour stats, the last time Australians swept the singles and doubles crowns at a tour-level event was back in Bogota in 2014, when Bernard Tomic won in singles and Sam Groth and Chris Guccione triumphed in doubles.