Nick Kyrgios is in the mood and Rafael Nadal knows it

The world No.137 has emphatically brushed aside a top-10 opponent and will face Rafael Nadal in a blockbuster quarter-final.

Nick Kyrgios is almost unstoppable when in the mood Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios was playing doubles on Kia Arena at the Australian Open in January. He hit a winner against his faceless opponents and the joint went berserk. He raised both hands and screamed, “I’m too good! I’m just too f … ing good for this!”

Which he was. Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Open. Nothing too surprising there – doubles is full of duds. Failed singles players. But if you knew nothing of Kyrgios’s history, if that unforgettable event in Melbourne was the first tournament you had seen in your life, you could have sworn the most motivated players in the world were Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal. Kyrgios poured his heart and soul into his singles loss to Daniil Medvedev, which was the match of the tournament until Nadal staged a comeback in the final to rival Jesus on Easter Sunday. And then he played the lights out – more staggeringly, trying his guts out – in a doubles campaign akin to the Harlem Globetrotters entering the NBA and winning it. Like Kanye West running for president and getting in. One of Kyrgios’ remarks stood out.

It came during a press conference alongside Kokkinakis in which they giggled like mischievous schoolkids.

Kyrgios: “With age, I’ve matured.”

That nearly had us rolling down the aisles.

He continued: “Definitely. I’m going to get a good rest tonight, train, recover – listen to me, bro!”

Kokkinakis: “I’ve never heard anything like it!”

Kyrgios: “I don’t know. I just feel locked in. I know I’m definitely in a different mindset. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what’s happened. I’m just feeling really motivated.”

Kokkinakis (slapping Kyrgios’ back): He’s getting older! He’s maturing!”

Kyrgios: “I am, I am. F. k me dead! I don’t know. I just feel different.”

That was all well and good because Kokkinakis and Kyrgios had Melbourne Park crowds in the palms of their hands. The unknown for Kyrgios would be whether he stayed upbeat after the Open. When he knocked back the chance to join Kokkinakis in the Davis Cup tie against Hungary, you had your doubts. His first tournament back would be at Indian Wells. Having barely played tournament tennis for three years, and having dipped to the world No. 137 ranking, his first two straight-set victories, over world No. 60 Sebastian Baez and world No. 34 Federico Delbonis, were spectacularly emphatic. But what he did to world No. 8 Casper Ruud nearly beggared belief.

He treated a top-ten player with absolute disdain. Of course, there was history. Ruud called Kyrgios an “idiot” in a post-match press conference after the Australian was defaulted from their Italian Open match three years ago for throwing a chair onto the court. Kyrgios brushed him before the match. Looked straight through him. Looked down on his, physically and figuratively, at the coin toss, staring daggers. Ripped through a 6-4 6-4 triumph in which Ruud was inhibited. The Norwegian seemed to shrink. He’s normally an expressive and emotional player but it was like Kyrgios’s charisma filled the court. “No talking now. F. ing none,” Kyrgios said before leaving the court. Gold.

Kyrgios is too good for doubles. He’s too good for the world No. 60, the world No. 30, the world No.8. His annihilation of Ruud showed he’s a top ten player regardless of the ranking that will sort itself out soon enough. It also showed there ain’t a lot of depth in men’s tennis if Ruud is at eight. Kyrgios can win any three-set tournament he’s in. He can win Wimbledon is he’s in the mood. Following his walkover from Jannik Sinner on Thursday, his quarterfinal against Nadal on Friday has blockbuster written all over it. The fascinating thing about Kyrgios? Against the 21-time major champion, it feels a 50-50 match when they get going at about 9am (AEDT).

World No.8 Casper Ruud was blown away by Nick Kyrgios at Indian Wells Picture: Getty Images

Nadal faces Kyrgios on an 18-match winning streak to start the year. It’s a remarkable comeback after he could barely walk six months ago, and after he appeared ready to collapse at two sets all in the Australian Open quarter-finals against Denis Shapovalov.

Kyrgios has previously called Nadal too “salty” but if he really has found a more mature chapter of his career, he’ll have enormous respect for the Spaniard’s staying power. And if Kyrgios truly has grown up, Nadal will nod to the self-improvement. Previously, he’s never been much of a fan.

Back at Kia Arena in January, Kyrgios was right. He’s too good for doubles. This is where he should be – prime time in America against Nadal in the so-called fifth major. From here – listen to us, bro! – he can reach the same stage of the real majors. If it’s a popcorn match night in the States, it’s a bacon-and-egg-roll morning fixture in Australia. “He’s playing great now,” Nadal said. “He’s one of the toughest opponents on tour, no? It’s going to be a good test for me. A good challenge. But I’m excited to be in quarter-finals, no? I think in the quarter-finals, you can’t expect an easy opponent. It’s a difficult one. I hope to play well. Everybody knows how good he is when he’s motivated and probably tomorrow, he will be.”