Kyrgios blood feud goes to court

Nick Kyrgios says he will be the “unbelievable underdog’’ in tonight’s salty Wimbledon second-round clash against Rafa Nadal.

Nick Kyrgios returns the ball against countryman Jordan Thompson during their singles first round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Picture: AFP

Nick Kyrgios says he will be the “unbelievable underdog’’ after months of verbal build-up for tonight’s salty Wimbledon second-round clash against Rafa Nadal.

Immediately after his punishing five-set Wimbledon opener against Jordan Thompson, Kyrgios’s tension manifested itself in spiky retorts and sharp asides as he was quizzed about his frosty relationship with the Spanish superstar.

After snarling at journalists, Kyrgios conceded he wouldn’t have a beer with Nadal at the local Wimbledon watering hole, the Dog & Fox. As an Australian, that’s possibly the ultimate insult.

“I don’t know him at all. I know him as a tennis player,” Kyrgios said. “I just don’t — no, I don’t know him very well. I don’t know what you want me to say to the question. It’s a very strange question. Ah, I am not sure that me and Rafa could go down to the Dog & Fox and have a beer together.’’

Firmly in the back of Kyrgios’s mind is the special, almost nostalgic memory of five years ago at SW17 when he caused the biggest upset of the Championship by burning Nadal in four sets to make the quarter-finals. Today’s match is billed as the sequel.

Back then Kyrgios was the free-spirited world number 144, firing aces to bookend the match and begin what would be a somewhat awkward relationship with the then world number one.

Kyrgios remembers that moment as one of his most special but half a decade on as Nadal has added further titles and grand slams to his name, Kyrgios has never hit the heights he was anticipated to achieve, instead as he admits, being “classless’’ on the court.

At the time the great Rod Laver predicted Kyrgios would quickly move into the men’s top four. But from that very moment, Kyrgios has won just 29 grand slam matches and an indolent reputation while Nadal has emerged with the upper hand, winning 74 and more trophies that could be found in any pub cabinet. “That’s never going to leave my tennis career,’’ Kyrgios said of that Wimbledon breakthrough. But he added he must arrive today with the same willingness to fight for every point.

“I am going to butter for him. I go into the match as an unbelievable underdog,’’ said Kyrgios, 24.

“But I know if I play the right type of tennis, I can have success against him.’’ Kyrgios was asked about the most recent sparks between him and 33-year-old Nadal, inflamed when Kyrgios beat Nadal en route to taking the Mexican Open this year, adopting unsettling tactics such as his slow underarm serve.

But, while Nadal was perturbed at the tactics, Kyrgios was annoyed too that Nadal refused to play the game at the speed of the server; and when Kyrgios serves, his time between points is quick indeed. Said Nadal about Kyrgios after that loss: “He is a player who has ginormous talent.

“He could win grand slams and fight for the top positions of the ranking, but there is a reason why he is where he is.

“He lacks respect for the public, the rival and towards himself.”

Kyrgios then posted a clip of match point and the comment: “Don’t doubt yourself, there are plenty of people who will do that for you. I can smell the blood when I play this dude #Emotions.”

This week Kyrgios made it clear there was mutual respect with Nadal about each other’s tennis abilities but nothing more.

Kyrgios’s enthusiasm to play Nadal is clearly heightened and he is primed for the match.

”I can’t wait,’’ he said yesterday.

“As soon as the draw came out, I was super happy that I saw him in my section. I mean, it’s more exciting. When you’re a kid, you want to play the best players in the world on, I think, the best court in the world. This is something that I can’t take for granted. There’s no guarantee I’m going to be here again in this position. Could have an injury or something like that.”

Asked why he is able to get up for matches against higher-ranked players, Kyrgios answered simply: “It’s just me, bro.’’ When pressed he added: “I don’t know what to say. I just love playing them.’’

Nadal said the second round is super tough. “He (Kyrgios) is a very dangerous player when he wants to play strong tennis: when he plays the best players he wants to play tennis … I need to be 100 per cent and I am going to fight for it.”