Tennis-Kyrgios braves cut and cramps to down Wawrinka

Nick Kyrgios overcame a hand injury, leg cramps and a solid performance from Stan Wawrinka to prevail 7-5 6-7(3) 6-4 and advance to the semi-finals of the Acapulco International on Thursday.

The mercurial Australian, who defeated Rafa Nadal the night before in a match where the Spaniard later criticized Kyrgios' on-court demeanor, was focused in the quarter-final and outplayed Wawrinka in the match's biggest moments despite crowd that vocally backed the Swiss. The night did not begin well for the hard-hitting Kyrgios, who slipped while hitting a backhand in the match's opening game, opening up a cut on his right hand that required medical attention.

Leg cramps, which also required a visit from the trainers, followed in the deciding set but nothing could derail Kyrgios, who won his final service game at love to keep his hopes of a maiden championship at the tournament alive. Next up for Kyrgios is either big-serving American John Isner or his eighth seeded countryman John Millman, who play later on Thursday.

Earlier in the day Briton Cameron Norrie cruised past American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-2 to book his ticket to the semis. Norrie will face second-seeded German Alexander Zverev, who did not face a break point en route to a 6-4 6-4 win over Australian Alex de Minaur. (Reporting by Rory Carroll Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)