Nick Kyrgios has started on his commentary stint in a flying manner. Amidst heaps of praise bestowed upon him by fans for his new role, Kyrgios couldn’t help but take a subtle jab at someone. While lauding all-time great Novak Djokovic during a match at the Australian Open, Kyrgios may have called Rafael Nadal slightly inferior to Djokovic.
Kyrgios recalled his greatest chance at winning a Grand Slam came during the 2022 Wimbledon. The Australian reached the finals of the London-based tournament but standing in front of him was Djoker. This is the closest Kyrgios came to winning one of the Big Four tournaments, and he started well. He won the first round 4-6, but it wasn’t long before Djokovic jumped back with 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3 and won it in four rounds.
“I lost a Grand Slam final against the best to ever do it. I joked that if it had been anyone else that day, Nick Kyrgios would have been a Wimbledon champion”, said Kyrgios on air, as reported by Eurosport.com.
Just before this, Kyrgios compared Djoker to a ping-pong machine, one that tests your patience to the fullest. Just like a ping-pong machine, Djokovic is fast, serves on both ends and is near-impossible to strategize against. Of late, Kyrgios has also armed up towards Djokovic after initially hating him in his career. With 24 Grand Slams, Kyrgios had no qualms in calling Djokovic the GOAT of tennis.
However, in praising him, Kyrgios may have taken an indirect shot at Nadal who has won 22 Grand Slams. Kyrgios left nothing out in praising Nadal but he did affirm that had it not been for Djokovic, Kyrgios would’ve been a Grand Slam winner.
“Rafa has that big game style and that physicality, big leftie, you know his patterns but you can’t do anything about it. At least with Novak you know you’re going to have those exchanges, those long gruelling exchanges. You know you’re going to get warm, know you’re going to get into it. Then there’s the problem of trying to work out how to beat him, he’s like a ping-pong machine,” said Kyrgios.
While his comments were harmless, a keen observer might find it interesting since he was supposed to play the Spaniard in the semi-finals of the 2022 Wimbledon. Nadal bowed out at the last moment due to an abdominal tear. Could Kyrgios have meant that he would’ve won the semi-finals even if Nadal played, and only Djokovic could beat him, which he did? Nevertheless, he didn’t leave without complimenting the Spaniard.
“That’s the fear with all athletes, you come back and put in the work – and a great champion like Rafa, puts in a year of work, comes back a bit early and then re-aggravates something that’s been keeping him out,” continued Kyrgios in commentary.
Nick Kyrgios makes a big comeback prediction for Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the ongoing Australian Open after a micro tear in his muscle. The 37-year-old last won a Grand Slam at the 2022 AO and the Rolland Garros. Since then, injuries have plagued him. Kyrgios, after calling Nadal a “great champion”, is also spitting facts about how much longer he can continue.
Feel for Rafa man get better soon, that was the fear for me as well, coming back a little too soon…
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 7, 2024
“Honestly, I hope he stays and plays because we all know how much he means to the sport and how much he entertains when he plays, with his physicality. Realistically, I would say this is definitely his last year on the tour and I think his eyes will be set on the French Open and that’s about it,” said Kyrgios on air.
Kyrgios predicts a huge comeback for Nadal at the 2024 French Open, a title he won a record 14 times. He was also empathetic towards him since his injuries kept him out mostly for the fag end of his career. This is an end that fans fear is starting to resemble that of Roger Federer’s.
The AO was supposed to be his big comeback but he is out again for at least three months. Could Nadal be back before Rolland Garros and the 15th title to his name?
