HIGHLIGHTS—Kyrgios saves match points, edges Nadal in Acapulco classic

Nick Kyrgios edged Rafael Nadal in a three-set classic at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Wednesday night, surviving triple match point in the third set tie-break to outdo the world No. 2, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6).

After pocketing a routine first set, Nadal appeared headed for a straight-set victory late in the second set, building triple break point with Kyrgios serving at 4-all, 0-40. He earned a fourth break point after Kyrgios managed to catch up at deuce. But the Australian snuck that game out, and eventually cruised through a second set tie-break to push the match to a deciding set.

Nadal again had his chances in the third. First, he earned triple break point with Kyrgios serving at 2-3, 0-40, again earning a fourth break point later in that game. No matter; Kyrgios held.

Then, after Kyrgios held serve and the two headed to a final tie-break, Nadal had triple match point leading 6-3.

But Kyrgios had one more push left in him, reeling off the match's last five points to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, one last Nadal error sealing the win after three hours and three minutes.

“It was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever played in,” Kyrgios said after. “The majority of the crowd was going for Rafa, but he’s going to get that wherever he goes—he’s an unbelievable player, and one of the greatest of all time. Just to be a part of that atmosphere, it’s a match I’m never going to forget.”

Nadal finished the match with a cleaner winners-to-unforced errors differential of +22 (39 winners to 17 unforced errors), but it wasn’t enough to overcome the stat-sheet scattering Kyrgios, who struck 58 winners to 49 unforced errors.

“Whenever I was down, I was just focusing on making a first serve and competing,” the Australian said. “Whether I won or lost today, I was just proud with the way I competed. I was dealing with food poisoning all day, so to go out there and win—let alone compete the way I did—was pretty special.”

With the victory, Kyrgios draws even with Nadal in their career head-to-head, 3-3.

This was Kyrgios' sixth career win over a player ranked in the Top 2, having previously beaten world No. 1 Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, and four times beating a world No. 2: Roger Federer at Madrid in 2015; Novak Djokovic at Acapulco and at Indian Wells in 2017; Nadal at Cincinnati in 2017.

The Australian also got his first Top 10 win in over a year, his last one coming against a No.3-ranked Grigor Dimitrov at Brisbane last January. He’d lost seven matches in a row against Top 10 players since.

“I’ve had a tough year so far. I’ve struggled with some injuries. I haven’t been playing well,” Kyrgios said. “But I love coming back to Acapulco—it’s one of my favorite tournaments of the year. I had a good match yesterday against Seppi, and I knew if I won that I was going to most likely play Rafa, and I love playing Rafa. He’s an unbelievable champion, and I just love playing big matches, too.”

Awaiting Kyrgios in the quarterfinals will be another one of the tour’s most accomplished players: Stan Wawrinka, who beat American Steve Johnson in the previous match on center court, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Wawrinka leads Kyrgios in their head-to-head, 3-2. They’ve only played once in the last two-and-a-half years, with the Swiss edging the Australian last year in Canada, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.

ATP/WTA Acapulco

• Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev and Sloane Stephens headline the Abierto Mexicano Telcel. Watch live coverage on Tennis Channel Plus beginning Monday, 2/25 at 5:00 pm ET.

ATP Dubai

• Watch Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori live from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship starting Monday, 2/25 at 5:00 am ET

ATP Sao Paulo

• Tennis Channel Plus features live coverage of the Brasil Open beginning Monday, 2/25 at 10:30 am ET