Nick Kyrgios defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets in Cincinnati seven years ago
Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios embraced nine duels between 2014 and 2022, with the Spaniard scoring six wins. Kyrgios knew how to play against the legend, stunning him at Wimbledon 2014 and earning another triumph three years later in Cincinnati.
You can watch the extended highlights of Nick’s commanding 6-2, 7-5 victory over Rafa in the 2017 Cincinnati quarter-final, overpowering the 2013 champion in 80 minutes. Nadal embraced two early exits in Ohio after lifting the trophy in 2013, hoping for a better run during the 2017 campaign after a stunning loss to Denis Shapovalov in Montreal.
Rafa took down Richard Gasquet and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, reaching his seventh Cincinnati quarter-final and arranging his fourth clash against Nick Kyrgios. The Aussie outplayed the Spaniard in the opening set and delivered a late break in the second set for a convincing triumph, firing from all cylinders, as seen in the video below.
Due to the rain, both players competed for the second time that day, and Nick preserved more energy for a high-quality performance. Instead of his usual tantrums and focus drops, Kyrgios remained composed from start to finish, attacking world no.
2 and taming his strokes nicely. The Aussie dropped 15 points in ten service games, defending two out of three break points and forcing the Spaniard to follow that pace. Nadal struggled behind the first and second serve. He dropped 45% of the points in his games on the fast hard court and experienced four breaks from seven chances offered to his opponent.
Kyrgios controlled his backhand and played only 16 loose strokes in the entire clash. He embraced deep and potent shots and made Nadal vulnerable. Also, the Aussie produced a break at love following his only loose service game, showing his determination and resilience.
Rafa could not impose his strokes, feeling constant pressure and spraying too many errors.
Nick Kyrgios outplayed Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati 2017.
Nadal tried to tame Kyrgios’ booming serves while standing way behind the baseline.
It only brought him a little while making his point construction much tougher. Nick blasted 21 service winners and generated a 16-12 lead in the direct points from the court. The Aussie stayed on 11 unforced errors, and the Spaniard counted 20, spraying 13 from his forehand wing.
As was expected, Kyrgios kept the points short, with two-thirds landing in the area of up to four strokes. The Aussie forged a 45-29 advantage, hitting more service winners and attacking first. To make things even better, Nick outplayed Rafa 21-17 in the most extended exchanges, rounding up his performance and scoring a notable victory.
Kyrgios was off to a dream start, rattling off four games in 13 minutes while committing only one error! Nadal felt issues right from the start, spraying a forehand error and getting broken at 15. Kyrgios cemented the lead with a powerful serve in the second game and made another push on the return in the next one.
The Aussie welcomed the Spaniard’s mistake and secured another break with a forehand winner, moving 3-0 in front and gathering a boost. Firing from all cylinders, Nick landed four winners in the fourth game, extending the gap and outplaying world no.
2. Nadal got his name on the scoreboard with a hold at love in game five, and Kyrgios mirrored that in the next one for 5-1. Rafa landed three winners in the seventh game, extending the battle before Nick wrapped up the opener with a powerful serve in the next one for 6-2 after 25 minutes.
The Aussie did everything right in the first set, hoping for more in the second. Nadal held at 15 at the beginning of the second set, and Kyrgios delivered four winners in the next one for 1-1, standing supreme behind the initial shot.
Rafa responded with four winners in the third game, looking much better on the court than in the opener. The Spaniard welcomed the rival’s two double fault faults in the fourth game, generating his first break chance.
Nadal squandered it with a loose forehand, allowing Kyrgios to wrap up the game with two powerful serves and lock the result at 2-2.
A missed opportunity took the focus away from Rafa, who made four mistakes in the fifth game and suffered a break at 15, sending Nick closer to the finish line. The Aussie cemented the advantage with an ace in game six, moving 6-2, 4-2 in front and closer to the finish line.
Nadal grabbed the seventh game after a deuce, remaining within one break deficit before Kyrgios slammed four winners in the next one for a 5-3 lead. Nick attacked on the return in game nine, firing a forehand winner and creating two match points.
