Rafael Nadal Shines As Kyrgios Crumbles In Madrid - UBITENNIS
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Rafael Nadal Shines As Kyrgios Crumbles In Madrid

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Rafael Nadal (zimbio.com)

MADRID: The eagerly awaited Thursday night clash at the Caja Magica turned into the Rafael Nadal show as the home favourite disposed of a sluggish Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-1, in the third round of the Madrid Open.

Pundits around the world tipped the match to be one of the best with the king of clay playing against one of the rising stars of the sport. In reality, Nadal’s power and precision bullied the below-par Australian around the court and prevented him from seeking any momentum.

A double break in favour of the nine-time grand slam champion was  enough to reward him the opening set. The inconsistency of Kyrgios’ play was highlighted towards the end of that set. A forehand shank, followed by a disastrous drop-shout granted Nadal his first two set points before Kyrgios’ serve came to the rescue. Nevertheless, the damage was already done. A forehand cross-court winner moved the fourth seed to a 6-3 lead.

From that moment on, it was a one-way route for the Spaniard. Kyrgios, who appeared to be experiencing discomfort with his left hip, continued to fade into the background. Every question the Australian came up with was answered with interest by Nadal. The situation proved too overwhelming for a weary Kyrgios, who was seen seemingly crying into a towel during one of his changeovers. Closing the match out, a scorching winner down the line elevated Nadal to a trio of match points before sealing the match thanks to error No.27 from his lacklustre rival.

“I think I played really well tonight. Since the beginning of the match, I committed just a few errors. I think I returned the ball very well, even better than normally.” Said Nadal.
“I think it’s not normal to win against an opponent like this because Nick is a really good opponent.” He later added.

Nadal’s reward with be a quarter-final clash against Belgium’s David Goffin. Goffin dismissed Milos Raonic in his third round match. It will be the second clash between the two this season after Nadal rushed to a straight sets triumph in Monte Carlo.

“David is a complete player. He has all the shots. The conditions here are completely different than the rest of the Masters 1000s or the rest of the tournaments on clay. Anything can happen.” A reflective Nadal evaluated.

Kyrgios is down, but not out

Dealing with defeat in Madrid, Nick Kyrgios refuses to let it get him down. Earlier this week he admitted that there was more to life than tennis. The comments occurred a week after his grandfather passed away, resulting in his absence from the Estoril Open.

“I haven’t had the best preparations coming into this tournament. I mean, I didn’t really train for a week and a half before this tournament. So to even come here and win a couple rounds. I wasn’t expecting myself to play well this week at all.” The maturing 22-year-old said.

Regardless of his personal events, a clash with Nadal on his beloved clay was never going to be easy. Kyrgios once described the Spaniard as ‘the greatest player ever’ on the clay. With such respect for a player, facing them is never easy.

“It’s tough. Especially on this surface, I mean, it’s like a mental thing. I played him on grass. I feel like that’s where I’m more comfortable. I guess that’s my clay, if you could put it in those words. I felt comfortable when I played him on the grass.”He explained.

Sometimes losses can make a player stronger and this could be applied to Kyrgios this week. He admits that he is currently ‘learning to be a good ambassador’ and this could elevate him to greater things.

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Wrist Injury Threatening To End Holger Rune’s Olympic Dream

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Holger Rune will have a second medical opinion on Monday before deciding if he is fit enough to play at the Olympic Games, according to his team. 

The Danish world No.17 recently retired from his quarter-final match at the Hamburg Open due to a knee injury. The hope at the time was that his withdrawal would be just a precautionary measure ahead of the Olympics. However, he is also dealing with a second issue that appears to be more serious.

According to TV 2 Sport, Rune has been struggling with a wrist issue and underwent a scan on Sunday which his mother Aneke says ‘doesn’t look promising.’ Aneke is also the manager of her son’s career. Rune’s Olympic dreams now rest on the outcome of a second medical expert that he will visit tomorrow who has a better understanding of the sport. 

“Unfortunately, it does not look promising after the first medical opinion after the review of the scan of the wrist,” Aneke Rune told TV 2 Sport.

“We are waiting for two tennis-specific doctors who will give a second opinion tomorrow (Monday). Tennis wrists look different from regular wrists, so we’ll hold out hope for one more day.” 

Rune is one of three Danish players entered into the Olympic tennis event along with Caroline Wozniacki and Clara Tauson. The country has only won one medal in tennis before which was at the 1912 Games when Sofie Castenschiold won silver in the women’s indoor singles event. 

So far this season, the 21-year-old has won 27 matches on the Tour but is yet to claim a title. He reached the final of the Brisbane International and then the semi-finals of three more events. In the Grand Slams, he made it to the fourth round of the French Open and Wimbledon. 

It is not known when a final decision regarding Rune’s participation in Paris will be made.

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Hubert Hurkacz Undergoes ‘Knee Procedure’ Ahead of Olympic Bid

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Poland’s top player on the ATP Tour is not giving up on his dream of winning a medal at the Olympic Games despite recently undergoing a medical procedure.

World No.7 Hubert Hurkacz suffered a knee injury during his second round clash at Wimbledon against France’s Arthur Fils. In the fourth set tiebreak of their clash, Hurkacz dived for a shot but landed badly on his knee and required on-court medical attention. He then played two more points before retiring from the match. 

In a social media post published on Wednesday, the  27-year-old confirmed he underwent a procedure on his knee earlier this week but didn’t provide any further details.  Although Hurkacz has stated his intention to play at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, where the tennis event will be held on the clay at Roland Garros. 

“I had a knee procedure this Monday, but I’m feeling better already and my team and are dedicating extensive time each day to the rehab process.” He wrote on Instagram. 

“It’s a dream for every athlete to represent their country at the Olympics, and I want to make sure I am fully fit and ready before making the final decision to step on court. The aim is not only to participate, but to win a medal for my country.”

So far this season Hurkacz has won 34 out of 48 matches played on the Tour. He won the Estoril Open in April and was runner-up to Jannik Sinner in Halle. 

The Olympic tennis event is scheduled to begin a week Saturday on July 27th. Poland is yet to win a medal in the event but expectations are high with women’s No.1 Iga Swiatek also taking part. 

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Motivation, Pressure And Expectations – Novak Djokovic Targets History At Wimbledon

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image via x.com/wimbledon

Novak Djokovic has broken numerous records throughout his career but he still feels the pressure of trying to make history in the sport. 

The world No.2 is through to his 10th Wimbledon final where he will play Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him at this stage of the tournament 12 months ago. There is plenty on the line for the Serbian who could equal Roger Federer’s record for most men’s titles won at SW19 and break the overall record for most major singles won in the sport if he triumphs over the Spaniard. Djokovic currently has 24 Grand Slam trophies to his name which is the same as Margaret Court, who won some of her titles before the Open Era started. 

“Obviously I’m aware that Roger [Federer] holds eight Wimbledons. I hold seven. History is on the line.” Djokovic said on Friday after beating Lorenzo Musetti.

“Also, the 25th potential Grand Slam. Of course, it serves as a great motivation, but at the same time it’s also a lot of pressure and expectations.”

Coming into Wimbledon, there had been doubts over Djokovic’s form after he underwent surgery to treat a knee injury he suffered at the French Open. However, he has defied the odds to reach the final. His run has also seen him beat Alexi Popyrin and Holger Rune before getting a walkover in the quarter-finals from Alex de Minaur, who sustained an injury during the tournament. Then on Friday, he overcame a spirited Musetti in three sets. 

Despite the challenge, Djokovic has insisted that his expectations to do well are always high no matter what the situation is. During what has been a roller-coaster first six months of the season, he is yet to win a title this year or beat a player currently ranked in the top 10. Although he will achieve both of these if her beats Alcaraz on Sunday. 

“Every time I step out on the court now, even though I’m 37 and competing with the 21-year-olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play.” He said.

“I always have to come out on the court and perform my best in order to still be at the level with Carlos [Alcaraz] or Jannik [Sinner] or Sascha [Zverev] or any of those guys, Daniil [Medvedev]. 

“This year hasn’t been that successful for me. It’s probably the weakest results the first six months I’ve had in many years. That’s okay. I had to adapt and accept that and really try to find also way out from the injury that I had and kind of regroup.”

Djokovic hopes that a Wimbledon win will help turn his season around like it has done in the past for him. 

“Wimbledon historically there’s been seasons where I wasn’t maybe playing at a desired level, but then I would win a Wimbledon title and then things would change.” He commented.

“For example, that was the case in 2018 when I had elbow surgery earlier in the year, dropped my rankings out of top 20, losing in fourth round of Australian Open, I think it was quarters of Roland-Garros, and just not playing the tennis that I want to play. Then I won Wimbledon and then won US Open and then later on became No.1 very soon.”

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Alcaraz is hoping to stop Djokovic in his tracks. Should he defend his title at Wimbledon, he would become the first player outside the Big Three to do so since Pete Sampras more than 20 years ago. He has won their only previous meeting on the grass but trails their head-to-head 3-2. 

“I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me,” said Alcaraz.

“But I’m ready to take that challenge and I’m ready to do it well.”

When the two players take to the court to play in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic will be 15 years and 348 days older than Alcaraz. Making it the largest age gap in a men’s Grand Slam final since the 1974 US Open. Whoever is victorious will receive £2,700,000 in prize money. 

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