Reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon
Nadal is tormented and the bully is waiting for him
06/07/2022 at 9:28 PM
Nick Kyrgios has achieved the unthinkable that, for Rafael Nadal, is almost a habit: reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon. The Spanish tennis star has to fight hard against Taylor Fritz. Even against your body. Now the surprise of the tournament awaits.
Rafael Nadal gritted his teeth, impact pain distorted his features. But no one can afford to suffer on the tennis court like the Spaniard. In Wimbledon drama that lasted 4:21 hours, Nadal won the fight against himself and American Taylor Fritz. After 3:6, 7:5, 3:6, 7:5, 7:6 (10:4) he can continue to dream about historical works. “There is something wrong with the abs,” Nadal said. “There were moments when I thought I couldn’t finish the match.” He hopes to be “ready to play” in the semi-finals.
Nadal is still two wins away from his third major title of the season, and the historic Grand Slam calendar is getting a little closer. But the next opponent is tough: Nick Kyrgios, who previously inflicted a painful defeat on Nadal at the All England Club, has finally fulfilled his promise with his unique talent.
“I never thought I’d reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, I thought the train had left,” Kyrgios said after 6:4, 6:3, 7:6 (7:5) over Chilean Christian Garen. He said the turmoil surrounding the legal dispute in his native Australia had not bothered him. He didn’t want to say more – or he wasn’t allowed to do so on the advice of his lawyer.
Nadal’s historical role model takes a closer look
As it became known on Tuesday, Kyrgios is summoned to court on suspicion of assault in a “private relationship”. But before that he will play in Wimbledon on Friday in the final against Nadal. Just like in 2014, when he won dramatically in the round of 16. Or as it happened in 2019, when Nadal retaliated.
This year, Kyrgios appears to be preparing for the attack Wimbledon fans have been waiting for which Kyrgios claims will be “the most watched match ever”. But this time Nadal is concerned, although it is not his chronic foot problems that accompanied him ahead of the victory at the Australian Open and on his way to the title at Roland Garros. This time it is an abdominal muscle injury.
In the first set, Nadal writhed in pain, took a break from treatment in the second set – and tied. His serve lost a speed of 30 km / h. The drama continued, and Nadal struggled with all his experience in the fifth set – and kept his cool. Rod Laver watched the show from the Royal Box at Center Court.
The Australian was so far the only professional tennis player to win the four most important tournaments in one year (1969). Nadal still has a chance to do that. Take revenge on Fritz to defeat Spring in Indian Wells. At the time, he had lost the final after 20 straight wins, with a broken rib that forced him to take a six-week break. Only in the clay court season did Nadal return.
