He will need to have recovered from his efforts, because he had to play 2:48 on the pitch, most of the time against him, because, unusually, he made a large number of unjustified mistakes, including seven double errors, of course pushed to his limits by his opponent, who often held him high in exchanges.

But Nadal, even on a day without, never lets it go. Remaining in the first set, he managed to break out to equalize at 5-5, before getting the big shots in the decisive game, he went away with 7-0. To the great displeasure of the very disappointed Kyrgios, who broke his racket on the ground, after throwing a “hell” at a very talkative spectator, taking a penalty on the set point.

The Australian, who was reborn this year after a year of 2020 without playing due to the pandemic of COVID-19 and a 2021 season in the depths, has therefore justified his reputation: both capricious and angry on the field.

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

He was excited but ended up disappointed in the 3rd set, Nadal finally managed to raise the level of his game. Kyrgios continued to interpret names, turning first to the series where the actor and director Ben Stiller was and then, after breaking into 4 -3, throwing at the referee “it’s your fucking job to control the audience!” “, furious to hear noise during exchanges.

Definitely out of the game when there was room for achievement, then he was punished by Nadal, who knows how to bend the case.