Nadal wins but Nick claims fans’ hearts
NICK Kyrgios’s charade is over.
Defeated by world No.1 Rafael Nadal 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4) in an electrifying Australian Open fourthrounder, Kyrgios’s claims to tennis apathy were exposed as a sham.
Once famously diffident, the Canberran’s passion and intensity shone beacon-like as he stretched reigning French and US Open champion Nadal for 3hrs 38mins over four gripping sets on Rod Laver Arena.
The last Australian men’s singles contender at this year’s tournament, Kyrgios soaked up Nadal’s heaviest blows – and kept on fronting up for more.
Rocked by Kyrgios’s tenacity, the 19-time grand slam champion was duly impressed.
“A very tough match. In the beginning, I was a little bit in control but against Nick you are never in control,” Nadal said, burying the hatchet with Kyrgios.
“What can I say about Nick? When he is playing like today with this positive attitude he gives a lot of positive things to our sport.
“He’s one of the highest talents … honestly one of the highest talents we have on our tour and I like the Nick Kyrgios during the whole of this tournament.
“Nick has an amazing serve and he is able to hit the spots in the court. You don’t know what to expect.”
Spell-bound, a capacity crowd watched as Nadal and Kyrgios traded blows of outrageous quality and rapidity before the Spanish colossus advanced to his 41st grand slam quarter-final and 12th in Melbourne.
Nadal clouted 64 winners to Kyrgios’s 50 but was more measured with only 27 unforced errors to the Australian’s 43.
Even before a ball was hit, Kyrgios won over fans by wearing a singlet honouring US basketball legend Kobe Bryant who was killed in a helicopter crash yesterday.