Nadal Not Happy With Kyrgios After Loss To Australian: He Lacks Respect

by Staff | February 28th, 2019, 10:28 am
  • 9 Comments

Following a stunning loss to Nick Kyrgios in Acapulco last night, Rafael Nadal was not pleased with the Australian.

“He’s a player who has enormous talent, could be winning grand slams or fighting for the top positions of the ranking, but there is a reason why he is where he is,” Nadal said. “He lacks respect for the public, the opponent and toward himself.”

During the match, Kyrgios won a point on an underhand serve, used two trainer visits and the post-match handshake was far from gracious.


Nadal did lead 6-3 in the final set tiebreak with three match points. And Rafa finished just 1-of-10 on break chances, 0-for-5 in the third set.


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9 Comments for Nadal Not Happy With Kyrgios After Loss To Australian: He Lacks Respect

fred stone Says:

Nadal interrupted Kyrgios’ serve several times pointing at some thing in the crowd or whatever. (gamesmanship)
The handshake was fine; Nadal was the one who didn’t want to be there anymore.

February 28th, 2019 at 10:58 am


chrisford1 Says:

Pretty devastating critique of Kyrgios from Nadal.
That one had to hurt.
That said, it seems to me that Rafa is not the Rafa of days yore…he just looks like he is pushing things, tentative at times, making the wrong shots. He is so good though it takes a Djokovic or a zoning Kyrgios to expose it

February 28th, 2019 at 12:33 pm


Tennis Fan Says:

Underhand serve is perfectly okay in my opinion. It has been done before (Chang?). Nadal is standing 100 feet behind the baseline.

February 28th, 2019 at 2:29 pm


Wog Boy Says:

If I recall correctly, nobody claimed that underarm service is illegal, but every sane tennis fan will say that it unethical and unsportsmanlike. Has Chang earned more respect from players and fans for underarm serve?!

This is what happened 50 years ago and Australia is still embarrassed with the most disgraceful moment in their Cricket history, when their captain ordered bowler to do underarm bowling, even I who don’t follow Cricket know about that and they were booed by their own fans in Melbourne:

https://youtu.be/K65_spUU05s

February 28th, 2019 at 5:07 pm


Wog Boy Says:

^^^. Underhand

February 28th, 2019 at 5:10 pm


Andy Mira Says:

Well…underhand serve or lack of respect…imo,Rafa lost bcoz he failed to beat himself yesterday…simple as that…

About underhand serve,i read an article last year…if i’m not mistaken,it’s Craig O’Shaughnessy who suggested that other players should try an underhand serve when they play Rafa bcoz of how far he stand from the baseline…In a way,this loss can teach Rafa not to stand so far back that he so loved to do it…it only give him a more disadvantage instead of the opposites…

Everybody knows what kind of player Nick is…and Rafa knows that too…He shouldn’t be surprised by it…

February 28th, 2019 at 7:13 pm


skeezer Says:

Nick gonna be Nick. Respect has nothing to do with it. Play by thr rules, thats it.. Rafa is a pro, and should be looking out for stuff like this from Nick. Sides, Rafa has is own issues, like historically being unsportsmanlike when serving. Whatevers.

February 28th, 2019 at 7:18 pm


Gom Says:

Not sure if Rafa’s comments were necessary at all. It’s up to him to say it but that was a pretty harsh comment. At the end of the day, everyone knows Kyrgios has had many on/off court issues. Also, I 100% agree with skeezer on Nadal’s serve manners which made me annoyed sooo many times.

February 28th, 2019 at 8:50 pm


Giles Says:

Rafa’s comments were not harsh enough imo. This deranged dude ( NK) needs to be disqualified from the ATP. He is just a menace and a nuisance.

March 1st, 2019 at 6:19 am

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