Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal bury feud in Australian Open epic

They sledged each other like title fighters for months. It took four incredible sets and the passing of a sporting icon for Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal to put their feud into perspective.

Did this handshake end Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal’s public feud? Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty

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To be fair, events in California 18 hours before put a mere sporting contest fully in place.

The death of basketballer Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash was picked up by almost everyone on Rod Laver Arena and most certainly by Nick Kyrgios, whose love of the big ball sport has often outweighed his passion for tennis.

He walked on court head bowed wearing a yellow LA Lakers top, Bryant’s team and emblazoned with his number. Showy yes, but heartfelt. Kyrgios’ sense of loss is genuine and before play began he removed the top to reveal a conventional salmon shirt, abetted by blobby shorts.

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Did this handshake end Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal’s public feud? Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty

Nadal, meanwhile, was clad in deep pink and white. How intimidating can a man in these colours be?

Heaps was the answer, Nadal combining his wardrobe with an utter ambivalence toward Kyrgios who, by contrast, was regularly respectful of the Spaniard’s better efforts.

The night took two sets to warm up. The crowd was with Nadal early on, his reception dwarfing that of Kyrgios. Don’t forget, these pundits paid a lot of money about six months ago in the expectation of seeing a Rafa or Roger on RLA, Monday, second week.

It was a polite, crackling atmosphere not previously synched with Kyrgios. Nadal is a 19 time major champion, this is Australia’s biggest annual international event and parochialism is for the outer courts where Kyrgios spent all last week.

Kyrgios (L) gestures for Nadal to walk-off first. Picture: David Gray/AFP

It may as well have been a home match for Nadal who never plays anywhere else in Melbourne, the banks of supporters respectful, flags and banners few, clapping not chanting dominant.

One fan in the crowd kept on reminding us about Acapulco, where Nick beat Rafa last year, but that was it for the sectarianism. Indeed it was 15 minutes in before the first the first ‘Aussie, Aussie Aussie’ chant. And that’s it with Nick, he is not just an Aussie and somehow transcends the whole nationalistic thing. But the atmosphere grew electrifying from the third set onwards and incrementally rose right until the death.

Rafael Nadal (L) and Nick Kyrgios congratulate each other after the match. Picture: AP/Andy Brownbill

Kyrgios is ridiculously talented but remains a star without great achievement still. But he won an awful lot of respect on Monday night, not just from the crowd but crucially from Nadal despite their recent accrimonius history.

“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,” Nadal said. “He’s one of the highest talents and I like the Nick Kyrgios during the whole of this tournament.”

That this match began in full daylight was odd, these occasions grow ever more wild with the dark. By the time 9pm struck it was the third set, dead even and the atmosphere had upped many notches. Not that Kyrgios incited anything, it was as if he was John McEnroe teeing off against Bjorn Borg 40 years ago, respect for his opponent shutting out any baser instincts.

At 9.10pm, 3-4 in the third set, Kyrgios tried an underarm serve that fell into the net, Nadal then blitzing his second offering.

Rafael Nadal check of Nick Kyrgios during the game. Picture: Michael Klein

There was surprisingly little crowd reaction, the Spaniard impassive. It led, a few points, later to break point, cleverly saved by another little dink. It was also what the crowd was waiting for, engagement levels increased and we had a contest and, later, two historic tie-breaks to relive on Tube time and again.

But Rafa gradually and relentlessly pulled the Aussie apart in an eventually epic match but where loyalties, refreshingly, came down simply to who you like most.

Originally published as Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal bury feud in Australian Open epic