(Indian Wells) Rafael Nadal (4^and world), still undefeated in 2022, qualified with difficulty on Thursday for the semi-finals of the Indian Wells tournament in California, beating 7-6 (7/0), 5-7, 6-4 the Australian Nick Kyrgios (132^and).

The Spaniard, who at the end of January became the most successful in Grand Slams with a 21^and crown gleaned at the Australian Open, is now 19 wins in a row this season.

Triple winner of the event in the Californian desert (2007, 2009, 2013), he will face his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz (19^and) or Briton Cameron Norrie (12^and), the title holder.

It will be necessary to have recovered from his efforts, because he had to fight 2:48 on the court, most often against himself, because, unusually, he committed a large number of unforced errors, including seven double faults, of course pushed to his limits by his opponent, who often held him up in exchanges.

But Nadal, even in a day without, never lets go. Trailing in the first set, he managed to call off his opponent’s break to tie the game at 5-5, before hitting the big shots in the deciding game, winning 7-0. To the great displeasure of Kyrgios, very frustrated, who smashed his racket on the ground, after dropping a “shut the fuck up…” to a too talkative spectator, receiving a penalty point on a set point.

The Australian, reborn this year after a 2020 year without playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a 2021 season in the depths, has thus lived up to his reputation: as whimsical as he is angry on the court.

And, he showed his best face in the second set, hanging on to take advantage of another slack on the Spaniard’s serve and equalize at one set everywhere on a slammed backhand volley.

He exulted, but ended up disillusioned in the 3^and round, with Nadal finally managing to raise his level of play. Kyrgios continued to belch bird names, turning first to the row where actor and director Ben Stiller was, then, after being smashed at 4-3, throwing to the referee “it’s your damn job to control the public!” “, furious to hear noise during the exchanges.

Definitely out of the match when there was space for an exploit, he was then punished by Nadal, who knows how to bend the case.