'He doesn't know the journey I've been through.'
Nick Kyrgios has returned serve at Rafael Nadal, saying he "can smell blood when I play this dude" after the Spaniard said the Canberran needed to show more respect to himself, his opponents and the crowd.
Kyrgios displayed some of his best form when beating Nadal in a tight three-setter at the Mexican Open on Thursday in Acapulco but the high-quality spectacle didn't translate into positive words for the former world No.13.There were several flashpoints in the match but Nadal appeared most incensed when Kyrgios complained about the time this year's Australian Open runner-up was taking between points on the Canberran's serve.
It prompted Nadal to say in a post-match media conference that Kyrgios should be fighting for grand slams under the No.1 ranking but "lacks respect for the crowd, his opponent and towards himself"."I'm different. Rafa's different. He can focus on what he needs to do," Kyrgios said. "He doesn't know the journey I've been through.He also put up an instagram post saying: "Don't doubt yourself, there are plenty of people who will do that for you.
"It's the way I play. It's the way he plays - he's very slow between points and I think that the rule in the book is that you have to play to the speed of the server but Rafa has the speed every time," Kyrgios said. "I'm not going to comment on him, his game. I've got my game; he's got his own game. We played well - that's the sport.A shot clock was introduced to tennis last year with a maximum of 25 seconds allowed between points, after the chair umpire's announcement of the score.Also in the last eight, Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur faces Alexander Zverev and compatriot John Millman meets John Isner.
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