'Everyone knows how good he is' - Rafa Nadal sets sights on old foe Nick Kyrgios after going 18-0, Norrie through
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ByEurosport
Updated 17/03/2022 at 12:04 GMT
Rafael Nadal will face Nick Kyrgios next at Indian Wells after he beat big-serving American Reilly Opelka 7-6(3) 7-6(5) to progress to the quarter-finals. The win means Nadal has now won 18 straight matches since the beginning of the season. Elsewhere, Cameron Norrie will face Carlos Alcaraz.
Nadal beats Opelka to reach quarter-finals in Indian Wells
Rafael Nadal improved to 18-0 for the season with a hard-fought 7-6(3) 7-6(5) win against Reilly Opelka at Indian Wells.
Nadal said it was a “great victory” against the 6’11” Opelka, who was serving hitting 140mph. However, the 24-year-old mustered only nine aces, winning 76% of his first serve against his 84% over the course of the season.
Opelka did fashion a break of serve – in the sixth game of the second set – but Nadal broke back and won the second set, as he did the first, in a tiebreak.
Next up for Nadal, a match against old foe Nick Kyrgios in the quarter-finals. It will be the 10th meeting between the two, with Nadal having won five of the previous meetings.
Speaking after the match, Nadal was acutely aware of the threat a “motivated” Kyrgios presents.
“He’s playing great, no?” Nadal said.
“He’s one of the toughest opponents on tour – everybody knows how good he is when he’s motivated, probably tomorrow he will be. It’s going to be a good test for me, a good challenge – I’m very excited to be in the quarterfinals.”
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The win moved Nadal to 18-0 for the season, with only Novak Djokovic having recorded a better start to a season since 1990, in 2011 and 2020 with records of 41-0 and 26-0 respectively.
Elsewhere, defending champion Cameron Norrie edged past Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-4 meaning the defending champion has now won nine matches on the bounce.
The Brit, ranked 12th in the world, said he got “absolutely whacked” by quarter-final opponent Carlos Alcaraz the last time they met, where the Spanish player emerged victorious – 6-4 6-3 6-4 at the US Open. And the 18-year-old looked in terrific form as he swatted aside Gael Monfils 7-5 6-1.
“I’m feeling good physically and I like the conditions here but I got absolutely whacked by him last time,” he said of Alcaraz.
“He’s one of the best up-and-coming players, really solid both sides, he won a 500 already this year, so he’s confident. It’s going to be a tough one – hopefully forward to getting some revenge on him.”
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