Nick Kyrgios, right, and Thanasi Kokkinakis, left, of Australia hold their trophy aloft after defeating compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in the men's doubles final. Photo / AP
Nick Kyrgios, right, and Thanasi Kokkinakis, left, of Australia hold their trophy aloft after defeating compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in the men's doubles final. Photo / AP
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are grand slam champions. Let that sink in.
The pair are now the first all-Aussie team to win the men's doubles at the Aussie Open since 1997 after they proved too good for fellow Aussies Max Purcell and Matt Ebden.
The Special Ks brought thehouse down on Rod Laver Arena with a 7-5 6-4 win.
Their moment of triumph comes more than eight years after they won the Wimbledon juniors doubles together.
Now they are men. And they are grand slam champions — something nobody can take away or forget in the never-ending debate surrounding their behaviour on and off the court.
"Man, I can honestly say we did not expect to even come close to this but with the help of you guys all week it has been unbelievable."
Kyrgios also singled his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi in his speech.
Nick Kyrgios, right, and Thanasi Kokkinakis, left, of Australia celebrate after defeating compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in the men's doubles final.Photo / AP
"This week has been a dream come true for me. I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else," he said of Kokkinakis.
"I'm just super happy. I don't even know how we are doing this or what is going on right now to be brutally honest.
"My team. I wouldn't be here without you guys. My beautiful girlfriend, she looked after me as well."
The pair had sparked frenzied scenes never witnessed before at Melbourne Park on their way to the final, but it was supposed to be a very different crowd against their fellow Australians.
It didn't exactly turn out that way with the behaviour of fans again becoming a talking point.
Purcell complained to the umpire late in the second set about fans heckling him in the middle of his service motion. And it triggered some backlash from the crowd.
In the end, all the controversial fan behaviour was overshadowed by the sheer joy Kokkinakis and Kyrgios showed when they wrapped up their maiden grand slam doubles title.
Ebden and Purcell paid compliments to the Special Ks after the match, saying their opponents were "simply too good".
Nick Kyrgios, right, and Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia celebrate after defeating compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in the men's doubles final. Photo / AP
And it was fitting.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis seized their moments and won the big points at the end of both sets to wrap up their title in just under 95 minutes.
"This is an unbelievable moment," Aussie great Sam Groth said in commentary.
