Nadal survives scare, Kyrgios blasts crowd
Spaniard falters after winning first two sets versus Cerundolo but recovers in time to set up Berankis clash
LONDON: Rafael Nadal overcame a scare in his Wimbledon opener, fighting back from dropping the third set and falling a break down in the fourth to eventually see off Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. Second seed Nadal triumphed 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 over 41st-ranked Cerundolo, who was making his All England Club debut.
But the 36-year-old Spaniard, who has already captured the Australian and French Opens this year to stand halfway to the first mens’s calendar Slam since 1969, did it the hard way. After coasting through the first two sets on Centre Court, he surrendered an early break in the third set and then had to claw his way back from 3-1 and 4-2 down in the fourth. Nadal will take on Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania.
Nick Kyrgios came out on top in a fiery five-setter and blasted fans’ “disrespect” as well as “90-year-old” officials before admitting he spat towards one of his tormentors in the crowd. The Australian’s 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5 first-round victory over British wildcard Paul Jubb showcased his shotmaking, which reaped 30 aces and 67 winners. But the dark side of the 27-year-old was also on show.
Even as early as the first set on a packed and raucous Court Three, Kyrgios demanded some fans be removed. “There were a couple of people not shy of criticising me—this one’s for you,” said the 40th-ranked player. “You know who you are.”
At a later news conference, Kyrgios jousted with reporters as he hit out at the abuse he says he receives on a daily basis, both on and off court. “Just pure disrespect,” said Kyrgios, who revealed one fan used an expletive to describe his game.
“Have you ever gone to a supermarket and just started berating someone scanning the groceries? No. So why do they do it when I’m at Wimbledon? Why is that?”
In his testy news conference, Kyrgios was accused of lacking respect for the line judges.