Wimbledon 2014: History boy Nick Kyrgios crushes Rafael Nadal
‘I’m never going to forget this,’ says 19-year-old Australian wild card after knocking out world No 1 on his Wimbledon debut
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Your support makes all the difference.Nick Kyrgios, a 19-year-old Australian making his debut at the All England Club, caused one of the greatest upsets in Wimbledon history here when he knocked out Rafael Nadal, the world No 1. Kyrgios, the world No 144, beat Nadal 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3 with a stunning array of attacking shots and thunderous aces.
In eliminating the two-time champion, Kyrgios became the first player from outside the world’s top 100 to defeat a world No 1 at a Grand Slam tournament since Andrei Olhovskiy, the world No 193, beat Jim Courier in the third round here 22 years ago. He is also the first teenager to defeat a world No 1 at a Grand Slam event since Nadal beat Roger Federer at the French Open nine years ago.
Kyrgios, who needed a wild card to make the field, hit 37 aces and 70 winners as Nadal suffered his third shock defeat here in as many years following his losses to Lukas Rosol and Steve Darcis. It is eight years since the Spaniard has lost to such a lowly ranked opponent.
Having celebrated his 19th birthday only three months ago, Kyrgios was the youngest player in the 128-strong men’s field here. Until he beat Richard Gasquet last week, saving nine match points in the process, he had never beaten a player ranked in the world’s top 50.
“This has been the best week of my life,” Kyrgios said. “That’s obviously the biggest win of my career and something I’m never going to forget.”
In today’s quarter-finals Kyrgios will play Canada’s Milos Raonic. In the other quarter-finals Andy Murray takes on Grigor Dimitrov, Federer meets his fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic meets Marin Cilic.
Maria Sharapova’s hopes of winning a second Wimbledon ended when the 27-year-old Russian was beaten by Germany’s Angelique Kerber. Sharapova, who won her first Grand Slam here aged 17, saved six set points before losing 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 on Centre Court.
Sharapova’s defeat follows the early departures of Serena Williams, Li Na and Agnieszka Radwanska. Simona Halep, the world No 3, is the highest-ranked player left. She faces Sabine Lisicki, last year’s runner-up, in today’s first quarter-final on Centre Court.
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