“I am very upset with Nadal, I cannot respect him like Federer or Djokovic”

Kyrgios admitted that there was a time when he was "allergic" to Nadal's behavior on the field, and that feeling became the motivation for him to play better.

“I can’t stand Nadal. I hate him and I feel contempt for him every time I see him walk. He always motivates me. Every time I play Nadal, I give my all and try to play my best tennis. I don’t have that hatred against Federer or Djokovic,” Kyrgios said.

The 1995-born tennis player also added that facing Nadal is always an opportunity for him to express his point of view: there is no need to be strict or stereotyped to be successful in sports .

“When I played against Nadal, everyone idolized him, always saying: 'He works hard, he's like this, he's like that'. But I thought: 'I can't stand this guy'. I wanted to show everyone that you can still play happily, relax and still win.”

Not stopping there, Kyrgios continued to attack Nadal's typical habits and behaviors during matches - which he considered "occupational diseases" of many modern tennis players.

“I find many of Nadal’s gestures disgusting, he has a ‘professional disease’ in tennis. I have a problem with players who take too much time between the first and second serve – like Rafa Nadal.”

The relationship between Kyrgios and Nadal in the past was not very good, when the two often had arguments off the court.

Despite having beaten Nadal in dramatic matches, Kyrgios often expressed his distaste for his opponent's playing style - in complete contrast to the respect he has for Federer or Djokovic.

However, over time, Kyrgios's attitude towards Nadal has softened somewhat. In recent years, the Australian tennis player has admitted to respecting the career and the "Bull"'s lasting dedication to world tennis.

However, recent statements show that in Kyrgios's memory, the memory of facing Nadal is always full of contradictions - between admiration and annoyance, between competition and resistance.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/toi-rat-kho-chiu-voi-nadal-khong-the-ton-trong-nhu-federer-hay-djokovic-153432.html