Nick Kyrgios, Miami Open, Miami Masters
Mar 27, 2018; Key Biscayne, FL, USA; Alexander Zverev of Germany (R) shakes hands with against Nick Kyrgios of Australia (L) after their match on day eight of the Miami Open at Tennis Center at Crandon Park. Zverev won 6-4, 6-4. USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke

Australian World No. 1 Nick Kyrgios crashed out of the Miami Open on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) courtesy of a 4-6, 4-6 fourth-round loss to World No. 5 Alexander Zverev. In a rematch of last year's Miami Masters quarter-finals, Zverev got his revenge against the Aussie to advance to the Round of 8.

A year ago, Kyrgios prevailed 6-4, 6-7 (9-11), 6-3 in a hard-fought quarter-final match at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida. This year, however, Zverev won five of the first six games and didn't give Kyrgios a window to bounce back. The German will now face Borna Coric in the quarter-finals after the 21-year-old Croatian put away rising Canadian star Denis Shapovalov 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in another fourth-round tie.

Kyrgios, who took a 3-2 head-to-head record over Zverev, has now fallen to the German on two consecutive occasions, dating back to their classic Davis Cup match in Brisbane in February.

Nick Kyrgios crashes out, back injury returns to haunt Aussie

Kyrgios was evidently nursing a back injury through most of the match. After dropping five of the first six games, he roared back to force Zverev to serve out the opening set. The match was evenly poised at 2-2 in the second set until Kyrgios was broken from 40-15 up, which led a plethora of F-bombs from the Aussie.

After the win, Zverev acknowledged that his rivalry with Kyrgios is in its early stages. “We have had great matches in the past and I am excited what the future holds for us. It’s always fun to play Nick. The crowd likes it and the media hypes it up. I returned very well, that’s big factor against Nick. Borna (Coric) is a very good player, it certainly won’t be easy (in the quarter-finals).”

All four players in the 2018 quarter-finals for the Miami Open are now set. While Korean sensation Hyeon Chung will face John Isner, in-form Indian Wells champion Juan Martin del Potro will square off against Canadian Milos Raonic in the other Round of 8 contest. Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta will face South African journeyman Kevin Anderson in the fourth and final quarter-final match of the Miami Masters.