‘Take that Nick Kyrgios’: Rafael Nadal wins Wimbledon 2019 grudge match
In a tense clash dripping with vinegar, “super-salty’’ Rafael Nadal vanquished Nick Kyrgios.
Nick Kyrgios so needled and taunted and egged Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard was roaring around Wimbledon centre court exhorting the crowd with double fist pumps, screams of c’mon and leaping celebrations between games amid an intensity not seen in any second round grand slam match in recent memory.
Nadal triumphed in the gripping blockbuster, yelling in jubilation “take that Nick Kyrgios” but it was close. Nadal downed Kyrgios in four sets 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6.
Nadal was shocked at how well Kyrgios played and said he had the ability to win a grand slam.
But Kyrgios rejected that suggestion and fuelled speculation about his future, saying: “I know what I am capable of. It depends. I am a great tennis player but I am not the most professional player, I need to train every day, need to improve a few things; depends how much I want it, I don’t think I can win a grand slam.”
The adrenaline-soaked atmosphere was clearly personal as Kyrgios also fumed: not only against Nadal, to whom he delivered two underarm serves at, but the umpire.
There it is!
— 7Sport (@7Sport) July 4, 2019
Kyrgios with the underarm serve for an ace 🙃#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ZMUEOxS2fN
The centre court crowd was riveted by the testy fireworks between the two men who cannot stand each other.
Forget Kyrgios’ claims that Nadal was “super-salty”, this was a grudge match dripping in vinegar. The intensity has been building for four years, beginning with Kyrgios’ surprise win as the young upstart upset the then world number one at Wimbledon in 2014.
In this morning’s match, Nadal was not impressed when Kyrgios snapped a ball at his head when he was at the net and that Kyrgios turned his back and refused to apologise; Kyrgios was angered by Nadal’s gamesmanship when receiving and taking extra long to get set, and the Spaniard’s need for a toilet break at the end of the first set.
Kyrgios said of that point: “I was going for him man, I wanted to hit him straight in the chest” and got frosty about suggestions he should have apologised.
Well. Nadal is not happy at this from Kyrgios.#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/V0oyHt39VQ
— 7Sport (@7Sport) July 4, 2019
From the first set to the last, Kyrgios vented at the umpire, feeling that the vastly more credentialed player was enjoying some leniency.
Said Nadal: “He is a tough opponent. I was aware of everything [Kyrgios’s complaints to the umpire], I was just next to him. I don’t want to comment on this. It is tough to see some things on court sometimes. It is so difficult to win tie-breaks against Nick, but I was serving well.”
Kyrgios’ strategy was to unsettle his opponent and build his own serving momentum with rapid fire serves, but French umpire Damien Dumusois was allowing Nadal to dictate the pace, rather than the convention which is to allow the server to determine the speed of the match.
Concentrating his ire at the umpire, Kyrgios pointed out the anomaly early in the match.
“He takes 40 seconds between every serve,” Kyrgios said. “Don’t tell me to play within reason; he doesn’t play within reason.” A couple of points later he reiterated: “He takes too long between serves it’s bull****,” Kyrgios exclaimed. “I am ready to serve? Why am I waiting?” Kyrgios raged. “He is controlling the tempo. Why should I wait? It’s pathetic.”
Nadal then appeared to take even longer and at one point Kyrgios stood at the baseline, swivelling his racquet pointedly.
This is living up to ALL expectations.
— 7Sport (@7Sport) July 4, 2019
How about this point to get Kyrgios the break in the second set?!#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/0LD2CSdMCU
By the middle of the second set, when Kyrgios was up 4-3, the verbal ripostes at Dumusois became personal. Kyrgios has form against Dumusois, battling with him in Shanghai last October. Dumusois warned him about his effort, saying it was “really borderline”.
This time Kyrgios told him to take action against Nadal’s tardiness: “Do it, then. Stop saying that you’re going to do it, and do it. Stop talking to me and talk to him. It’s only taking you guys 20 years to say something. So much power up there. Wow, look at you. Feels good for you, huh?”
Soon after, Dumusois called to play a let when a Nadal second serve was overruled to be in and Kyrgios railed against the decision, earning a code violation. Eventually Kyrgios settled into his game — upping his serve speed by 15km/h from the first to the second set. At one point, he fired in an extraordinary second serve at 230km/h.
Kyrgios said didn’t regret preparing for the match by going to the Dog and Fox for drinks, and told the journalist who queried about it: “You are way too excited to ask that question, you must have a very boring life.”
What a way to start a press conference. pic.twitter.com/TLLILGRBXy
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) July 4, 2019
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