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London - Nick Kyrgios survived a warning for bad language and a third set sulk to clinch a 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dustin Brown in an explosive Wimbledon second round clash on Friday.
Kyrgios, seeded 15th, has earned a reputation as one of the most volatile players on the men's tour after a series of distasteful antics, including briefly appearing to stop trying during his Wimbledon defeat against Richard Gasquet last year.
The temperamental Australian has been equally petulant on his return to the All England Club.
Kyrgios was warned for bad language following a foul-mouthed rant during his first round win over Radek Stepanek and he was at it again as he fought back to defeat German wildcard Brown.
The 21-year-old, who famously shocked Rafael Nadal en route to the Wimbledon quarter-finals two years ago, spent most of the match ranting, drawing a code violation for an audible obscenity and appearing to give minimal effort in protest as he sulked his way through the third set.
Despite his stroppy antics, Kyrgios advanced to play Spanish 22nd seed Feliciano Lopez or Italy's Fabio Fognini for a place in the last 16.
"This match was always going to go five sets. He's one of the toughest players to face on this surface. I'm really pleased to go through," Kyrgios said after a match which was twice interrupted by rain.
"I knew I had to steady the ship. I went off course a lot in the third, but I thought he barely missed a shot.
"I got back on track in the fourth and fifth. It was a fun match."
Kyrgios had predicted the Court Two clash between two of the tournament's most flamboyant players would be a "circus" and the Australian was on the money.
In a match that would have been better played under a big top, Kyrgios quickly lived up to his reputation as the tour's problem child.
"That's just horrendous from you guys once again," Kyrgios lamented in the second set after he was called for hitting the ball after it bounced twice.
Continuing his complaints by grumbling "it's all I can think of" and "I'm so pissed off", Kyrgios's tantrum prompted one of the line-judges to walk up to umpire Jake Garner to report his language and the Australian received a code violation.
At times after his spat with the officials, Kyrgios appeared to lose interest in the match, gesticulating towards his entourage and hardly extending himself at all as Brown took the set without breaking sweat.
Kyrgios briefly recovered his cool to win the fourth set, taking only 39 seconds to clinch the last game, and had a light-hearted moment with Brown when he chucked an energy bar to his friend after the German said he was getting hungry
Hammering aces and winners with abandon, it took Brown and Kyrgios just one hour and 40 minutes to reach a fifth set.
Kyrgios lost his temper again in the decider over more debatable line-calls, but in between the theatrics he finally came out on top.
