If comparing Nick Kyrgios with Bernard Tomic is like a study in apples versus avocados, the question of who will be the better player in the end may still be a valid one to ask. Former top-20 singles player and doubles great Todd Woodbridge, however, prefers to reframe it thus: "Who has the opportunity to have the better result?" Answer: Kyrgios.

The world No.29 has already beaten four top-10 opponents, including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the past 18 months. This time last year, he became the first teenager since Federer to reach two grand slam quarter-finals. From entourage numbers to attitude and, obviously, game, everything about him is big, bold, loud.

"The bigger results come from the person who, in the moment, has the ability to go for the shot and make the shot, and that's Nick," says Woodbridge. "He can create something. he can change a match by his serve, by his forehand. He's got a spark that Bernie doesn't have.

"Bernie needs to get that spark, he needs to be able to turn matches on a whim, and for me if I was looking at the two, that's where we've already seen Kyrgios be dynamic and beat Roger and Rafa, now beat Andy (Murray, at the Hopman Cup exhibition), but not in a tour event. He's got the ability to beat those types of players, whereas we haven't seen that yet from Bernie. he hasn't beaten one of those guys.

"In game styles, and even personality under pressure, they're different, too. Personality under pressure for Bernard is to be passive, and for Nick it's to be aggressive, and aggressive natures have bigger results."

The flipside is that the Canberran's naturally extroverted nature, and incessant engagements with officials, spectators, and family members can soak up so much emotional juice. Wednesday night's 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) defeat of Pablo Cuevas was "an absolute circus", admitted Kyrgios, after his colourful, wall-punching, short-changing, umpire-challenging, angst-fuelled ride into the third round. "It is probably not the best thing, playing too angry," he said later. "It does expend a lot of energy and, in best-of-five tennis, you want to try to keep it all in the tank, if you can."

For Kyrgios, easier said than managed, and the 20-year-old will need all he has against the 6th-seeded Tomas Berdych, with whom some IPTL hit'n'joke-around is the extent of his personal history. The Czech eliminated the young Australian's mate Tomic last year at Melbourne Park, where he is a two-time semi-finalist; only Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have been more consistent here over the past five years.

"He's one of the greatest players right now," said Kyrgios of the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up. "I'm not really thinking too far ahead. It's going to be a really good match.

It will also be the Australian No.2's first this tournament on Rod Laver Arena, where he did not appear in 2015 until his quarter-final loss to Andy Murray. But that will be fine, for there are no small measures for Kyrgios, who boasted an entourage of 11 during his afternoon session against his friend and doubles partner Omar Jasika on the "feature" practice court that is No.18.

The cast list: mother, father, brother, sister, agent, physio, trainer, three of his mates and regular hitting partners, and a couple of other unidentified supporters. Kyrgios likes an audience, we know that. Loves a stage. The bigger the better, in every sense.