Nick Kyrgios to play Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells quarter-final

Rafael Nadal hasn’t lost a match in 2022 and Australian Nick Kyrgios is his next opponent.

Nick Kyrgios will play Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

Nick Kyrgios prepared for a quarter-final showdown with Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells by answering questions from the crowd following his walkover fourth-round win.

The Australian progressed after Italian gun Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw, setting up a clash with Australian Open champion Nadal on Friday morning in California.

Rather than head off to the practice courts when his match was called off, Kyrgios entertained the fans who had come to see him play with an impromptu Q&A.

After getting a walkover from Jannik Sinner today, Nick Kyrgios is out on Stadium 2 to address the crowd there, and now is doing a Q&A with the crowd.

He awaits the winner of Nadal-Opelka.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) March 16, 2022

Nadal, who took out Reilly Opelka in two sets that both went to tie-breakers, declared Kyrgios, the world number 132, was always tough to beat but more so when he was motivated.

“Nick is difficult in any conditions, no?” Nadal said after booking the match-up.

“When he‘s playing well and when he’s excited and motivated he’s one of the toughest opponents without a doubt.”

The players have met eight times in matches, with Nadal holding a 5-3 win-loss record in battles between the two.

Rafael Nadal is undefeated in 2022. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Nadal is yet to lose a match in 2022, taking his record to 18-0 and becoming just the second player in ATP Tour history to start a season with 18 wins.

“I am just very happy to be playing tennis,” said Nadal, who turns 36 in June and continues to battle a foot issue.

“Today was a little bit worse than other days. It‘s true that the last couple of days the foot has been bothering me a little bit more.”

Kyrgios was the last Aussie standing in the event in the Californian desert after Alex de Minaur lost in a third-set tie-break to Taylor Fritz 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7).