March Madness #1: Federer vs. Kyrgios doesn't disappoint

It's madness, I tell you! Fuzzy yellow ball style. Follow along this week for our Top 17 takeaways and outtakes from the 2017 Sunshine Double in California and Florida.

Check out No. 2 here.

"Give the people what they want" has long been a favored mantra in sports. After Indian Wells was denied Roger Federer–Nick Kyrgios 2.0 due to the Aussie's food-based illness, Miami emerged as all the richer for seeing them square off at long last.

Recall that Kyrgios won his first-ever match against Federer. Just like he won his first against Rafael Nadal, and his first two against Novak Djokovic. With Fed having won Australian Open and BNP Paribas Open titles already this year, it might have seemed coming into this encounter that neither really had much to prove.

And yet. Each possesses piercing groundstrokes, huge serves and a truly radical self-confidence. Everything was on the line in Miami when they met over three instant-classic tiebreak sets.

Down a set, Kyrgios also managed a fantastic tweener flick for a winner, a sign of more hijinks to come in this budding rivalry:

Consider chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani. Even he, an impartial and official onlooker, couldn't help but snicker over the tension and the thrill of it all:

Away from the confines of the court's lines, others were getting in on the act. Mirka Federer whistled at Kyrgios late in the match, a sign that the Federer camp took this 21-year-old threat quite seriously.

If Kyrgios ended the match a bit poorly, shouting a couple "Shut the f— up"s at audience members and twice smashing his racquet down before briefly shaking Federer's hand, he showed that his bark is assuredly coupled with some bite.

Let's just pray to the gods of tennis that this is not nearly their last meeting. When the ATP's GOAT and its current Rough Rider in Chief come together, a blistering sort of magic happens.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9.