Mexican Open magic: Nick Kyrgios outlasts Rafael Nadal in Acapulco thriller

James Pavey

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Mexican Open magic: Nick Kyrgios outlasts Rafael Nadal in Acapulco thriller image

The Nick Kyrgios-Rafael Nadal Mexican Open clash was expected to be the mother of all matches between two of the game's great entertainers - and it didn't disappoint.

In a contest of ebbs and flows, Kyrgios outlasted the Spanish champion in just over three hours, winning 3-6 7-6(2) 7-6(6).

It was the sixth meeting between the pair, and the first since Nadal's straight sets victory in the China Open final in October 2017.

So much has happened since that day - Nadal won his 11th Roland-Garros crown and spent time atop the ATP rankings, while Kyrgios copped injury after injury to slump to No. 72 by Thursday's (AEST) match.

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Nadal swept through the first set 6-3 in Acapulco, winning 83 per cent of points on his serve as Kyrgios sent down three double faults.

Prior to the second set, an ailing Kyrgios - with both knees strapped - was overheard contemplating retiring, but staved off the inevitable mainstream media pile-on to scrape himself off his chair.

“I feel sick... if I forfeit, the media will blow it up…. I’ll be booed off the court," he said.

"I’m gonna try to play a couple of more games."

That he did, Kyrgios finding momentum in the second, cracking 10 aces before jogging through the tiebreak to take it to a decider.

Rafael Nadal

The final set was a topsy-turvy affair - neither player could find the decisive break as it crawled to a tiebreak.

Nadal had his chances in the seventh game, but failed to convert several break points as Kyrgios stayed in the match.

Kyrgios led Nadal 4-0 in tiebreaks heading into the final set - he won both in their Wimbledon clash, one in Rome, and the second set on Thursday.

It again remained on serve in the tiebreak until Nadal snatched a mini break to take it to 4-3, then won both of his serves to set up three match points.

Nick Kyrgios

However, Kyrgios somehow saved all three to recover to 6-all, and the atmospheric Acapulco crowd - having stresed their way through a thriller - nearly melted as Nadal double-faulted.

Then armed with a match point of his own, Kyrgios did the business as Nadal sent it long, the 23-year-old claiming his first win over the 17-time Grand Slam champion since their Cincinnati quarter-final in August 2017.

The Aussie's celebration was there for all to see in front of a booing crowd, Kyrgios dropping to the ground and screaming to the heavens as he produced a get-out-of-jail performance to remember.

The players shared a quick handshake before Nadal packed his things and signed autographs, as Kyrgios signalled to the jeering crowd with his finger to his ear.


Kyrgios had won through to the Nadal match after putting up his best performance of the year - at the time, so far - in a crushing win over Italian veteran Andreas Seppi.

Against Nadal, Kyrgios did it all. Medical time outs. Code violations after telling the crowd to shut up. Under arm serving.


And, most importantly, saving three match points to set up the remarkable victory - and still, he had time to sign autographs for fans.


Speaking to reporters after the match, Nadal praised Kyrgios: "He is a player who has a huge talent could be winning Grand Slams or fight for the first position in the ranking and something is where it is."

However, Nadal suggested the Aussie has a few things to work on, saying Kyrgios "lacks respect for the public, the opponent and himself”.


It was Kyrgios' first win over a top five player since he defeated then-No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov in the 2018 Brisbane International semi-finals.

The Australian will now face Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals. The Swiss ace fired 32 winners to take down seventh seed Steve Johnson 7-6(5) 6-4.

Wawrinka leads the head-to-head against Kyrgios 3-2, their last clash going the former's way at the Toronto Open in August last year.

Kyrgios became the third Australian to reach the last eight in Acapulco - earlier, John Millman took down Peter Gojowczyk, while an ill Feliciano Lopez's withdrawal saw Alex De Minaur progress.

James Pavey

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