Nick Kyrgios has levelled his quarter-final against Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells at a set-apiece, in a typically fiery match between the pair.
Kyrgios dropped the first set when he was given a point penalty on set point.
Trailing 6-0 in the tiebreaker, Kyrgios was given a code violation for an audible obscenity directed at a spectator. As it was his second code violation, it came with a point penalty and Nadal took the tiebreaker.
The Australian had earlier been warned after he smashed his racquet. That came after Nadal won a point on a lucky break from a net cord.
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The second set went on serve until the 12th game, when Kyrgios broke Nadal to take the set 7-5.
The Australian had an early chance to break in the third set, with Nadal’s first service game going nearly seven minutes, with Kyrgios unable to convert two break point opportunities.
Kyrgios had an early service break in the first set but gave that up when serving at 5-4, with Nadal breaking back after a forehand error from the Australian.
With Nadal serving at 1-1 in the first set, Kyrgios had double break point at 15-40.
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The Australian was on top early in the point, when a Nadal forehand caught the frame of his racquet, landing on the outside of the line and drawing Kyrgios wide. That opened up the court for Nadal to win the point with a forehand down the line.
Kyrgios could only look on, bemused, as he muttered in the direction of umpire Carlos Bernardes.
“Not going to say sorry for that shank?” he asked Nadal, already stepping up the mind games.
The Australian secured the break when Nadal double faulted on the next point.
Nadal is unbeaten in 2022, having won all 18 matches he’s played, taking out ATP titles in Melbourne and Acapulco, as well as his 21st grand slam at the Australian Open.
He’s had a long rivalry with Kyrgios since they first met in 2014, when the Australian wildcard stunned Nadal in the opening round of Wimbledon.
In 2019, Nadal accused Kyrgios of “lacking respect” after a match in Acapulco, one of the three times Kyrgios has beaten the Spaniard in their eight matches.
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