Rafael Nadal, mentality to defend the perfect season


Rafael Nadal returned to the semifinals of Indian Wells for the eleventh time after beating Australian Nick Kyrgios 7-6(0), 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 46 minutes. The Spaniard also extended his perfect season to 19-0 and improved his record against controversial Kyrgios to 6-3, including wins in their last three meetings.

A promising meeting was predicted between the tennis players, who had not crossed paths in more than two years, and they did not disappoint. The level of the Australian usually grows before the Spanish and therefore Nadal he has to do his best so that his tennis and mind prevail over the rival’s ‘rebelliousness’.

At times, Nadal was on the ropes and even committed up to seven double faults on serve. However, in the decisive moments he adjusted his game, increased his intensity, returned effectively and won key points that allowed him to maintain his immaculate start to the season with 19 wins, only surpassed in ATP history (since 1990) by two. streaks of Novak Djokovic (41-0 in 2011 and 26-0 in 2020).

“In tennis sometimes everything has to do with momentum,” Nadal said at the end of the match. “After the way I finished the second set with a couple of errors, I knew that the start of the third set would be very important and probably critical for me. So I needed to save the first two games and then the match went back to normal. Anything could happen.”

The Spaniard said he decided to move a little more to try to change the visual position of Kyrgios: “It is about finding the solution at all times. In this sport it’s not just about how you feel comfortable, but how you can make your opponent feel uncomfortable as well.”

On the contrary, although Kyrgios put Nadal in serious trouble with his powerful forehand and serve (12 “aces”), the Australian could not avoid fighting with the stands and against the chair umpire; at critical moments, he smashed a racket and was penalized for using inappropriate language. His defeat certified, Kyrgios greeted Nadal into the net and slammed the racket back to the ground, which bounced hard on the court, and walked away to boos from the crowd.

“Nick is one of the most talented players on tour, without a doubt. When he plays with motivation and passion he can beat anyone”, Nadal acknowledged, who also assured that he concentrates on what he has to do himself and tries that what happens on the other side of the net affects him as little as possible.

Three-time champion in Indian Wells, Nadal, 35, continues to advance in the tournament as a favorite in the absence of Novak Djokovicprevented from entering the United States for not being vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the eliminations of candidates such as Daniil Medvedev (ATP number one), Alexander Zverev (3) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (5).

On Saturday Nadal will meet the winner of the night’s quarterfinal between 12th seed Cameron Norrie and 19th seed Carlos Alcaraz. On Friday, the other semifinalists will be defined after the duels between Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov, as well as Miomir Kecmanovic against Taylor Fritz.

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