Nick Kyrgios opens up on his early disdain for Rafael Nadal: “I couldn’t stand him”

Nick Kyrgios spoke about his feelings towards Rafael Nadal during the early years of his career and how they changed leading up to the retirement of the 22-time Grand Slam champion. The Australian had several tense matches against Rafa in a rivalry that always sparked fireworks.

One particularly memorable moment was Kyrgios’ breakthrough at Wimbledon 2014. Already showcasing his remarkable talent, Kyrgios had received a wildcard from the organisers. He stunned the 13th seed Richard Gasquet in the second round and caused an even bigger shock in the fourth round when he defeated World No. 2 Rafael Nadal (7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3) to advance to the quarterfinals.

It was an incredibly tense encounter where Nadal appeared frustrated by Kyrgios’ underarm serves and unorthodox game style, which posed a significant challenge to the Spaniard. In their nine total encounters, Nadal leads 6-3, a record that few players can boast against the former World No. 1.

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Kyrgios reveals why Nadal brought out his best

In a recent appearance on the Nothing Major Podcast, the former World No. 13 revealed why he always brought his best when playing Nadal. “I couldn’t stand him. I used to hate and despise him so much when I saw him walking around. He was one guy who always motivated me,” Kyrgios admitted.

“If I played him, I would get up for it and try and get the best tennis I could possibly play. I didn’t feel that anger towards Roger or Novak when I played them,” he added.

“If I played Rafa, because everyone in our academies back home idolised him, they were like, ‘He is such a hard worker, he’s this and that.’ I was like, ‘I can’t stand this guy.’ I wanted to show people you could just have fun, be chilled, and still beat people like that.”

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Another tense moment came during their clash at Wimbledon 2019, where Kyrgios even hit Nadal with the ball during a rally, an incident that clearly angered the Spaniard, who shot him a threatening glare. Nadal ultimately avenged his 2014 SW19 defeat, sealing a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 victory.

In recent years, however, Kyrgios’ perspective has changed. He admitted he was moved by Nadal’s retirement announcement. “Did you see that tribute they played for him at the Davis Cup? I got a bit emotional for him,” Kyrgios shared. “He had a hell of a career. I don’t think we will ever see someone as dominant as him on clay, there’s no way. I don’t think it’s possible.”