Former top 100 player Sam Groth has weighed in on the recent spat between Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios by saying that the former world No.1 hasn’t liked the Australian since their first meeting on the tour.
Last week at the Mexican Open, Kyrgios saved a trio of match points to defeat the Spaniard in the second round. Shortly after the match controversy started when Nadal took a swipe at Kyrgios. Calling him out for his behaviour on the tour.
“He’s a player who has enormous talent, could be winning grand slams or fighting for the No. 1 ranking,” Nadal told reporters in Acapulco.
“He lacks respect for the crowd, his opponent and towards himself.
“I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but he lacks a little respect for the public and the rival.”
Kyrgios is known for his controversial behavior on the tour after being previously accused of tanking during matches. He was briefly suspended from the tour for unsportsmanlike conduct displayed during the 2016 Shanghai Masters. Last year he was fined $17,500 by the ATP for making a sexual gesture during his semi-final match at the Fever-Tree Championships in London.
Responding to Nadal’s comment, Kyrgios hit back by saying he would pay no attention to it. He then called out his opponent for the amount of time he takes between points. Under ATP rules, players are allowed a maximum of 25 seconds between points. From this year, a shot clock has been implemented on the tour for player’s to monitor their time.
“I’m different, Rafa is different. He can focus on what he needs to do.” Kyrgios responded.
“He doesn’t know the journey I’ve been through, he doesn’t know me. So I’m not going to listen at all.’
“That’s the way I play. That’s the way he plays, he’s very slow between points and the rule of the book says you have to play at the speed of the server. But Rafa has the speed every time. I’m not going to comment on him and his game. I’ve got my game”
“I’m not going to take that (Nadal’s comment) into consideration at all.”
Speaking after the exchange of words, Groth believes Nadal’s criticism is fuelled by jealousy to some degree. The world No.2 is tied at 3-3 in their head-to-head and has lost in two in their three most recent meetings.
“I don’t think Rafa really likes Nick very much,” Fox News quoted Groth as telling RSN radio on Monday. “Nick burst onto the scene beating Rafa at Wimbledon so I think there’s probably been something there from day one.
“To be honest, they’re 3-3 head-to-head now and I don’t think there are too many guys in the world Nadal would have a 50-50 record against.
“He probably just doesn’t like it very much.”
Kyrgios won the Mexican Open last week after defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. He has now risen 39 places up the ATP rankings to 33rd in the world. His highest position since October.
The head-to-head record
Year | Event | Surface | RND | Winner | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Acapulco Mexico |
Outdoor Hard | R16 | Nick Kyrgios |
36 762 766
|
2017 | Beijing China |
Outdoor Hard | F | Rafael Nadal |
62 61
|
2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati OH, U.S.A. |
Outdoor Hard | QF | Nick Kyrgios |
62 75
|
2017 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Spain |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
63 61
|
2016 | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Italy |
Outdoor Clay | R16 | Rafael Nadal |
673 62 64
|
2014 | Wimbledon Great Britain |
Outdoor Grass | R16 | Nick Kyrgios |
765 57 765 63
|