Nick Kyrgios smashed onto the tennis scene in 2014, beating Rafael Nadal during a magical quarter-final run at Wimbledon.
The Australian, who was a 19-year-old wildcard at the tournament, defeated the Spaniard 7-6 5-7 7-6 6-3 during an enthralling encounter in 2014.
The 30-year-old has beaten various high-ranking players during his storied career and even has a superior head-to-head record over 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic. Kyrgios recently said Djokovic is ‘the greatest tennis player of all time.’
Speaking to the Guardian, Kyrgios described his feelings following his breakout performance against Nadal.
Nick Kyrgios says he ‘wasn’t ready’ after beating Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon
Kyrgios described his first impressions of Wimbledon, before admitting that he wasn’t ready to handle the responsibility after beating Nadal.
He said, when asked how he felt following that match: “That I was at the top of the tennis world. If you play Wimbledon multiple times you’re playing in front of the Royal Box on a court where every blade of grass is the same length. If you make it on to that stage the journey has been worth it.
“It was life-changing, but I wasn’t ready at that age [19] to take on the responsibility.”
Following his victory against Nadal, Kyrgios lost to Canada’s Milos Raonic, who made the Wimbledon final in 2016 before losing to Andy Murray.
The owner of seven ATP Tour titles, Kyrgios won’t compete at Wimbledon this year and has not appeared at the tournament since his final appearance in 2022, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Nick Kyrgios’ ranking suffers as he slides to 633 in the world
Since his 2022 Wimbledon final appearance, the Australian has been riddled with injuries, suffering from numerous knee and foot injuries, while also requiring reconstructive surgery on his wrist.
Kyrgios, who will not play at Wimbledon for the third consecutive year, has only played five matches this season, losing four. Kyrgios’ victory over Mackenzie MacDonald at the Miami Open is his sole triumph so far this year.
The injuries have taken their toll on Kyrgios – he was tearful following his retirement from the Indian Wells first round in March.
Kyrgios’ time away from the court has seen his ranking plummet to 633, and his consistent spate of injuries causes serious concerns for his future prospects in the sport.
