Nick kyrgios He displays both talent on the tennis courts and verbiage outside of them, and controversy suits him on both grounds. In this dynamic, the Australian tennis player repeatedly criticized colleagues like Fernando Verdasco, Novak and Rafael Nadal, whom in recent days he praised for his way of playing.
“This is why I like to play with Nadal”, wrote on his Instagram account the number 46 in the world, according to the ranking of the Association of Professional Tennis Players (ATP). Meanwhile, the text alluded to a video of an extensive point that both disputed in the 2020 Australian Open, whose winner was the Mallorcan, who also won the match.
The tensions between the two athletes began in February 2019, at the ATP 500 in Acapulco. During the match, Kyrgios complained to the judge, appealed to his histrionics, performed various bombastic gestures, drew his serve from below, and won the match. NadalAfter the defeat, he said at the press conference: “I don’t think he’s a bad boy, but he disrespects the public, the rival and himself too“.
Then, Kyrgios expressed several criticisms of the Mallorcan. In principle, the Australian downplayed the sayings of the Spanish, in addition, he claimed that his game was “too boring and without grace”. Also, after beating him that same year at Wimbledon, not without wanting to provoke, he assured: “I went out to party the night before before playing with Nadal.”
However, later on, the Canberrano changed his attitude and recognized Rafa’s skills as a tennis player. “The Nadal thing is incredible. Roland Garros is the patio of his house,” he said after the world number 2 won the Paris Open last year. He also acknowledged his emotion in the preview of the last meeting at the 2020 Australian Open and now, he once again ratified those praise.
Both tennis players could meet in the 2021 edition of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, which takes place in the Australian city of Melbourne, between February 8 and 21. In the history between the two, Rafael Nadal is the one who dominates in the statistics. In fact, of the eight opportunities in which they faced, five were victories for the Spanish.
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