New South Wales state champion Smith was not the only amateur to seize his moment in the spotlight, with Queensland state champion Alec Reverente beating men’s world number seven Felix Auger-Aliassime.
As the two best performing amateurs, Smith and Reverente also went head-to-head to win a brand new car, with Reverente triumphing.
The tournament was played in good spirits – even a racquet smash by Kyrgios following his defeat was performed in good humour – and generated genuine intrigue.
Many of the beaten players, including men’s number one Carlos Alcaraz, remained at Rod Laver Arena and gathered around televisions to watch the conclusion between the two unlikely finalists.
