On July 6th, Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the Wimbledon Championships 2022 due to a tear in his abdominal muscle. As a result, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios entered the final without playing his semi-final match.
In the final, he will most likely face the top seed of the tournament and defending champion, Novak Djokovic, who is currently playing against the British player Cameron Norrie.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Before playing his first-ever Grand Slam singles final, Kyrgios talked about his relationship with Djokovic.
Nick Kyrgios’ bromance with Novak Djokovic
Speaking about his relationship with Djokovic, Kyrgios said, “We definitely have a bit of a bromance now. I felt like I was the only player to stand up for him with all that drama at the Australian Open and that’s where respect is earned, when a real life crisis is happening.”
Kyrgios on Djokovic: "We definitely have a bit of a bromance now. I felt like I was the only player to stand up for him with all that drama at the Australian Open and that's where respect is earned, when a real life crisis is happening."#Wimbledon
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) July 8, 2022
?Notably, Kyrgios had been critical of Djokovic in the past. However, all that changed during the Australian Open, as Kyrgios stood up for the Serb during his visa controversy. In return, Djokovic reached out to him on Instagram and thanked him for having his back.
“Novak has reached out to me personally on IG (Instagram) saying, ?Thank you for standing up for me?,” Kyrgios said in a podcast interview earlier.
Kyrgios sends a lovely message to Rafael Nadal on Instagram
After Nadal‘s withdrawal, Kyrgios took to Instagram and posted a lovely message for the Spaniard. “I hope your recovery goes well and we all hope to see you healthy soon,” he wrote on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Later, the Aussie player expressed his disappointment for not getting the chance to play Nadal in the semis. Speaking about it, he said, “As a competitor, I really did want that match. As soon as I beat Garin I knew Rafa was a high possibility. I really did want to see how the third chapter [of Wimbledon-Nadal rivalry] was going to go. I just hope he recovers.”
Nick Kyrgios: "As a competitor, I really did want that match. As soon as I beat Garin I knew Rafa was a high possibility. I really did want to see how the third chapter [of Wimbledon-Nadal rivalry] was going to go. I just hope he recovers."#Wimbledon
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) July 8, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
If Novak Djokovic wins today’s semi-final match against Norrie, he will face Kyrgios in the final. It is worth noting that Djokovic played the Australian 2 times in his career and lost on both occasions. Moreover, he is yet to win a set against Kyrgios.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi cozy relationships moments
Will Kyrgios lift his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon on Sunday? Let us know in the comments.