Wimbledon 2022: Rafael Nadal def Taylor Fritz, has injury concerns ahead of Nick Kyrgios semi-final
In a match where even his father was begging him to retire due to injury, Rafael Nadal was able to win a five set epic quarter final but is in doubt to face Nick Kyrgios in the semis.
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The Spanish legend - who has been battling debilitating injuries for years - was in so much agony during his epic five set quarter-final win over Taylor Fritz that his own father pleaded with him to quit.
Nadal refused to throw in the towel but was a physical wreck after clinching a 3-6 7-5 3-6 7-5 7-6 win after almost four and a half hours on the centre court.
Nadal said it was the same abdominal injury he’s had for years and although a doctor gave him some antiinflammatories and analgesic and a physio massaged the most aching parts, it made no difference.
“Nothing can be fixed when you have a thing like this. That’s it,” Nadal said.
“I just wanted to give myself a chance. It’s not easy to leave the tournament, not easy to leave Wimbledon, even if the pain was hard.
“I wanted to finish. Doesn’t matter. I prefer to win, with victory or defeat. That’s what I did. I fought.
“I’m proud about the fighting spirit and the way that I managed to be competitive under those conditions.”
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Nadal had to adapt his game to his injuries, reshaping his serve and sticking to the baseline. It worked against Fritz but may not against a player like Kyrgios who is master of drop shots and tweeners.
Asked whether he would be fit enough to play the Australian in the semi-finals, Nadal said he won’t know until he is assessed by doctors on Thursday, but said he will need to take his long term health into consideration.
“I don’t know. Honestly, I can’t give you a clear answer because if I gave you a clear answer and another thing happens, I will be a liar,” he said.
“I am going to have some more tests but it is difficult to know.
“I am used to having things (injuries) and I am used to holding pain and to play with problems. Knowing that, when I feel something like I felt, that is because something is not going the proper way in the abdomen.
“But let’s see. It’s obvious that today is nothing new. I had these feelings for a couple of days. Without a doubt, today was the worst day. It has been an important increase of pain and limitation.
“The decision at the end - all the decisions - are the player’s decision, but at the same time I need to know different opinions and I need to check everything the proper way.
“There is even something more important than winning Wimbledon, that is health. Let’s see how this is going.”
While a free pass would be a massive leg up for Kyrgios if he has to play Novak Djokovic, he had already said how much he is looking forward to the match with Nadal - predicting it will be a television blockbuster.
The pair have played each nine times before - with Nadal leading their heads to head clashes 6-3.
But one of Kyrgios’ three wins famously came at Wimbledon - in 2014, when he was on debut - earning him a place in the quarter-finals.
Until now, that had been Kyrgios’ best performance at a grand slam so he was relishing the prospect of playing Nadal again for a spot in the final.
“Obviously it would be pretty special to play Rafa here. We’ve had some absolute battles on that Centre Court. He’s won one against me, and I’ve won one against him,” Kyrgios said.
“Obviously, we are two completely different personalities but I feel like we respect the hell out of each other, though.
“I feel like that would be a mouth-watering kind of encounter for everyone around the world.
“That would probably be the most-watched match of all time. I would argue that.”
Hobbled Nadal casts doubt over Kyrgios semi-final
Rafael Nadal overcame an injury to beat Taylor Fritz and reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for an eighth time on Wednesday, keeping alive his dream of a calendar Grand Slam.
The second seed lost the first set and had to take a medical time-out in the second but raised his game to win 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) in a match lasting four hours and 21 minutes.
Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, will play maverick Australian Nick Kyrgios for a place in Sunday’s final.
He admitted he was suffering from an abdominal problem.
“For a lot of moments I was thinking I would not be able to finish the match but the crowd, the energy, thanks for that,” said the Spaniard.
“I honestly enjoy a lot playing these kind of matches in front of you guys. I can’t thank you enough for the support.”
Whether he will be fit to face Kyrgios is another matter entirely, however.
“First thing I hope to be ready to play,” Nadal said.
“Nick is a great player on all surfaces but especially here on grass. He is having a great grass court season. It’s going to be a big challenge and I need to be at 100 per cent.”
A pumped-up Nadal raced out of the blocks to take a 3-1 lead but then lost five straight games to the 11th seed to lose the first set.
The players swapped breaks in the second set but Nadal was not moving freely and when leading 4-3 he sat down on his chair, shaking his head at his team.
The trainer came on before Nadal left the court for a medical time-out to treat what appeared his injury.
When he returned, Fritz served out to love, with Nadal’s movement still looking hampered.
But the Spaniard twice held serve comfortably to lead 6-5 and a backhand volley into the open court sealed the second set, to roars from the crowd.
Nadal, 36, was now moving more freely but the pendulum swung again early in the third set when the two-time Wimbledon winner double-faulted to hand his American opponent a break.
The trainer returned, this time to attend to strapping on his Fritz’s left thigh and the American resumed playing, breaking again to take the third set.
There were five breaks in a topsy-turvy fourth set as both players struggled for consistency on their serve but Nadal came out on top to level the match.
The first six games of the deciding set went with serve before Nadal produced a backhand dropshot winner to break after a hard-fought seventh game.
Fritz broke back straight away when Nadal netted with a backhand.
The set went to a tie-break and Nadal seized control, racing into a 9-3 lead and completing the win on his second match point.
Nadal, who has already won the Australian Open and the French Open this year, is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam by a man since Rod Laver in 1969.
He is also bidding to win his 23rd Grand Slam title and equal Serena Williams in second place on the all-time list for most Grand Slam singles titles. Margaret Court is the leader on 24 titles.
DJOKOVIC REMAINS IN KYRGIOS’ WAY AFTER 5-SET SCARE
- By Julian Linden
Novak Djokovic remains the biggest hurdle to Nick Kyrgios’ chances of winning Wimbledon after surviving a huge fright in his quarter-final round match.
But the Serb hasn’t won 20 grand slam titles by giving in easy and sure enough, he clawed his way back to win 5-7 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 and advance to the semis.
Although he looked calm, Djokovic revealed he was so worried he was going to lose that he stopped and stared at himself in the mirror during a toilet break after the second set.
“There was no aggressivity there. It was just a pep talk, positive talk,” he said.
“As negative and down you feel on yourself in those moments, even though as fake as it looks or sounds to you, it really gives you an effect and support if you are trying to find the right and positive affirmations and tell it to yourself and kind of reanimate yourself in a way.
“Today it worked. It doesn’t always work. It’s not a guarantee it will always work but I just felt like I had to change something.
“I was not playing well, I was not feeling well on the court, I was dominated by Sinner. Thankfully Grand Slams are played in best-of-five, so I had the opportunity to come back.”
Just 20, Sinner is one of the best young prospects in the men’s game, already making the quarter-finals of the three grand slams.
He said he wasn’t surprised when Djokovic raised his game and the experience would put him in good stead for next time.
“It’s best-of-five. When you are up two sets to love, you play every set in the best possible way,” he said.
“I know that I have still a lot to improve, but I think I can be happy after this Wimbledon.
“It’s tennis. I knew that he’s one of the best players of all time. Let’s see in the future how it goes.”
Djokovic has a surprise opponent awaiting him in the semis, South African-born, New Zealand raised Brit Cameron Norrie.
A South Sydney Rabbitohs supporter, Norrie came back from the brink of defeat to beat Belgian David Goffin 3-6 7-5 2-6 6-3 7-5..
Djokovic will start as the overwhelming favourite to beat Norrie if their only previous meeting is an indication.
That was last year at the ATP World Tour Finals in Italy and it was one-way traffic with Djokovic winning 6-2 6-1.
“That was different conditions, different tournament, environment than what it would be playing here in Wimbledon on Centre Court semi-finals of a slam in his country,” Djokovic said.
“I know what to expect in terms of the crowd support.. For him (he has) not much to lose. Every victory from now onwards is a big deal for him. I know that.
“I have practiced (with Norrie a few times. I know his game well. He’s been around. Of course I will do my homework and get ready.”
The big carrot for Djokovic, of course, is to win another Wimbledon title.
He currently has six, so on more will see him join Pete Sampras and Bill Renshaw in a tie for second for the most titles - behind Roger Federer (eight).
Kyrgios could meet him in the final if he wins his quarter against Cristian Garin and a semi, against either Rafa Nadal or Taylor Fritz.
Another win would also take his career tally to 21, just one behind Nadal, who skipped ahead of him by winning this year’s Australian Open when Djokovic was deported from Melbourne before retaining his French Open crown.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that I have completely new motivation because of the circumstances,” Djokovic said.
“I feel always very motivated and inspired to play the best tennis on the Grand Slams, particularly here.
“This is arguably the most important tournament in the history of our sport. It definitely is for me. I have said it before that it was this tournament and this Centre Court that inspired me to start playing tennis.”
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