Nick out to prove a point

NICK Kyrgios claims he has no fears of grand slam colossus Rafael Nadal, but concedes anything but a winning attitude will end in disaster at Wimbledon.

Kyrgios and Nadal share a 3-3 record — and mutual antipathy — ahead of a blockbuster second-round clash.

Kyrgios said part of his motivation to overcome Jordan Thompson 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (12-10), 0-6, 6-1 in the opening round was the lure of facing Nadal again. But asked about his relationship with the Spaniard, Kyrgios said: “Not sure that me and Rafa could go down to the Dog & Fox [a famous Wimbledon pub] and have a beer together. I mean, we have a mutual respect, but that’s about it I think.”

Friction between the pair has escalated this season after Kyrgios followed an epic upset of the French Open king in Acapulco with a scathing assessment of the Spaniard’s character in a podcast. Responding to claims by Nadal’s uncle Toni he was uneducated, Kyrgios called the veteran coach an idiot and labelled 18times major winner Nadal a “super salty” loser after the Spaniard said Kyrgios was disrespectful.

Nadal insisted he has no interest in continuing the spat.

“Being honest, I'm too old for all this stuff,” Nadal said.

“Too many years on the tour. What I said I said, and I believe in what I said. I’m not a guy that is going to be in a fight with anybody. I’m here to enjoy my sport.”

Kyrgios upstaged Nadal on Wimbledon’s centre court five years ago as a teenage wildcard in a monumental upset.

The Canberran covets another victory tonight.

“He’s [Nadal] one of the greatest tennis players of all time. I go into that match as an unbelievable underdog,” Kyrgios said. “I know if I play the right type of tennis, I can have success against him.”