Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is known for his temperamental nature. Kyrgios does not shy away from speaking his mind either, a trait that has often landed him in trouble. He stirred a new controversy once again when he defended his rude action against Rafael Nadal.
Kyrgios recalled a particularly obnoxious incident with Nadal from 2019. The two went head-to-head against each other at Wimbledon that year, with the Spaniard handing Kyrgios a tough defeat. However, one moment stood out during the encounter.
Kyrgios sent the ball flying towards Nadal, who was at the net, and just about managed to deflect it with his racket. However, the Spaniard shot Nick a cold glare before the match resumed. This week, the Aussie took to social media to shed light on the fact that he was still unapologetic for his actions.
Following the loss to Nadal, Kyrgios confessed to wanting to hit him in the chest. “Why would I apologize? I mean, the dude has got how many Slams, how much money in the bank account? I think he can take a ball to the chest, bro. I’m not going to apologize to him at all,” he said (via Tennis World USA).
It was a riveting match from start to finish, as Nadal took Kyrgios apart. The former world number one eventually defeated Nick 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(3) to make it to the next round.
Entertainment from start to finish…@RafaelNadal outlasts Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(3) to progress to the third round for the 10th time#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/FWjNvD8acK
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2019
Kyrgios took the defeat hard. Earlier this year, he confessed that he was battling depression and, at one point, even considered suicide. Moreover, he had taken to harming himself, which is why he had to wear long sleeves to cover up the marks.
Nick Kyrgios has come a long way since then and even made it to the Wimbledon finals last year. However, his rivalry with Nadal stood out.
Nick Kyrgios vs Rafael Nadal head-to-head
To date, Kyrgios and Nadal have clashed nine times, with Nadal walking away victorious six times. Surprisingly, the first time they locked horns was at Wimbledon, too. The Aussie had managed to stun Nadal during their first matchup.
Kyrgios defeated Nadal once again at Acapulco in Mexico in 2019. The last time they had been scheduled to play in the Wimbledon semifinals was in 2022. Nick got a walkover because Nadal retired due to an abdominal injury.
Rafa has managed to dominate all his matches with Nick Kyrgios so far. Both players have missed this season due to injuries, but Nadal shared an update about his possible return. Fans are eagerly waiting to see them both return to the courts soon.