Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis produced “champagne tennis” to come from a set down, but it wasn’t enough to book a quarter-final spot at the Brisbane International.

The popular Australian doubles pair – dubbed The Special K’s – have become absolute must-watch programming in recent home summers while playing together.

While they ultimately fell short in a three-set thriller, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis managed to overcome a first-set bagel against France’s Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul and send it to a 10-point match tiebreak, which acts in place of a full third set.

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Things didn’t go according to plan from the outset when the Aussies had their serve broken from the opening game of the match and in the process, Kokkinakis somehow slipped and ended up on the floor with the ball flying straight towards him.

“Lucky that’s not the only thing broken,” commentator Peter Psaltis said on Nine.

Doubmia and Reboul won the first set in just 22 minutes as Kokkinakis and Kyrgios were left completely stunned and bagelled in front of their raucous home fans.

“They are playing just excellent tennis,” Psaltis said.

The Special K’s regrouped and started the second set in style, racing to an easy service game before Doumbia and Reboul then started to feel the heat on serve, with a couple of epic and trademark points from the Aussies bringing the crowd to their feet.

The Aussie tennis summer kicks off with the 2026 United Cup from Friday, January 2. Watch it live and free on Nine and 9Now.

“The crowd is really starting to recognise the significant moment in this match,” John Millman said on commentary as the Aussies searched for a break.

A double-fault from the Frenchmen gave them the break and swung the momentum entirely in the opposite direction after what was a one-sided opening set.

They made it a double break in the second when Kyrgios produced multiple quickfire volleys in a row that Psaltis referred to as “champagne tennis” on commentary, with the former Wimbledon finalist sealing the moment with some dance moves.

“How quickly has this match turned on its head,” Millman said.

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis then closed the set out, sending it to a 10-point match tiebreak.

There was a rather tense moment as the French duo went up 5-0 in the tiebreak, when Kyrgios complained of a double hit from one of his opponents at the net.

“Can we see a replay?” he asked the chair umpire, who responded “no”.

Kyrgios then asked “why not” before he and Kokkinakis were told to continue playing.

They fell to 7-1 in the tiebreak and looked to be in dire straits, but managed to come back to keep the match alive on multiple occasions.

In the end though, it was Doumbia and Reboul who proved a little bit too classy in what was a wildly entertaining fightback from the box-office Aussie superstars.

Kokkinakis will now turn his attention to the Adelaide International, while the status of Kyrgios remains up in the air as he waits for an Australian Open wildcard.