In close quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios—yet again—competes and complicates

MATCH POINT: Nadal d. Kyrgios, 7-6 (0), 5-7, 6-4

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—It was nearly 6:00 p.m. inside Stadium One of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. For two hours and 45 minutes, this BNP Paribas Open quarterfinal between Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal had featured one enthralling rally after another. There’d been whipped forehands and backhands galore, frequent drop shots, superb retrievals, deft angles; all the shots, intensity and comprehensive court coverage that for nearly eight years has made this one of tennis’ most engaging rivalries, back to when Kyrgios drew first blood when they’d played one another at Wimbledon in 2014.

But if for so much of this match, the gap between these two was razor-thin, the final stages revealed much that separates one from another in matters of competition, comportment and character. Nadal served at 5-4 in the third set. Kyrgios missed two straight service returns, followed by a Nadal ace. If Kyrgios was only apparently resigned to his fate at the start of the game, by 40-love, he’d certainly checked out. In lackluster fashion, Kyrgios threw up a lob that Nadal dispatched into a corner, and it was 7-6 (0), 5-7, 6-4.

Now with enthusiasm, the beaten Kyrgios dashed to the net, gave Nadal a kind handshake, did likewise with chair umpire Carlos Bernardes—and then gave his racquet a hearty fling into the southeast corner that bounced so forward and high that it compelled a ball boy to duck in fear that it would hit him.

Given the chance to speak on his defense, Kyrgios took the path of offense.

“What would you like me to say about it?” he asked. “Obviously, was that my intention? No. Because I threw the racquet. Did I throw the racquet anywhere near him originally? It landed a meter from my foot and skidded and nearly hit him. I'm human. Things happen like that. Obviously it was a very misfortunate bounce. I think if I did that a million times over it wouldn't have gone that way.”

There’d also been a shattered racquet at the end of the first-set tiebreaker, which Kyrgios lost without winning a single point. He was docked the last point for an audible obscenity.

Asked if his emotion intrudes on his concentration, Kyrgios again pled his case.

“But I was focused,” he said. “Just because I have an outburst doesn't mean I'm not focused. Like, to be honest, if I was watching a little kid play and he was getting angry that he was losing it just shows that he cares. I would rather someone get angry that they're losing than just cop it on the chin.”

Then there is Nadal, that very child who was taught to never throw a racquet. More pointedly, while Kyrgios appears to modulate his intensity based on the opponent or occasion, Nadal’s genius is his relentless respect for the game and all situations—including Kyrgios this evening.

“But in the most important part of what we are coming here, it's to try to play tennis and to try to do the best way possible,” said Nadal. “I think he did. So he fighted until the end. He played some great level of tennis. And that's the Nick Kyrgios that probably I want to see and the people likes to see, no? Because that's good for tennis.”

There is no question that Kyrgios is a compelling tennis player. Power and feel, creativity and movement, intelligence and agility are all present when he’s playing well, which includes the wins leading up to this match. Most notable was a 6-4, 6-4 victory over eighth-seeded Casper Ruud.

“I played three bloody good matches, like three really good matches against quality opponents that have been playing and had a pretty good year,” said Kyrgios. “I beat one of the guys that had like nearly 60 wins last year and no one remembered that. And everyone will just remember that time where Kyrgios lost to Rafa at Indian Wells or the time that he threw the racquet.” Well, whose fault is that? What is it in Kyrgios that seeks to complicate and undermine his quest for happiness?

Contrast that with Nadal, who said:

“I always have a very basic point of view and it's, do the things that going to helps you to play better or to win more,” he said. “You can be sad, you can be very upset, but if that helps you to play better or to win more, do it. But it's not my case. So when I am upset or I lost my concentration, I say, I am not this kind of guy. I, normally I am not, I don't behave much, no, I like to be in a positive way, not a negative way. But not on the tennis court, in my normal life too.”

Call Kyrgios and Nadal tennis’ version of Goofus and Gallant – one man to play for your pleasure, the other for your life.