Pat Cash says Nick Kyrgios 'would have beaten Rafael Nadal anyway' at 2022 Wimbledon

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Pat Cash thinks Nick Kyrgios would have beaten Rafael Nadal had the two met as projected in the 2022 Wimbledon semifinal. 

Kyrgios, 27, made his first Grand Slam singles semifinal after ousting Cristian Garin in last year's Wimbledon quarterfinal.

In what was set to be his first-ever Grand Slam semifinal, Kyrgios was projected to meet 22-time Major champion Nadal.

But due to an abdominal injury, Nadal announced the day before the Kyrgios match that he would not be able to take to the court.

As a result, Kyrgios directly progressed into the Wimbledon final, where he put up a big fight before losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets.

Cash: Kyrgios would have beaten Nadal at Wimbledon 

"I don't think I would coach somebody like that. Not because, talent-wise, he'd be fantastic. First of all, I think he wouldn't want a coach, but to Nick, it's that work ethic, the output and input and mental stuff. Last Wimbledon he got a default from Rafa but I think he probably would have beaten Rafa anyway. He[Rafa] wasn't a 100% fit but he[Nick] didn't have to go through that extra match which was good for him but did he handle himself well in the finals? I thought he was coming out a bucket of nerves. He's not far off, really putting it all together, but it's not gonna be easier, it's gonna be harder, with injury, but yeah, you know the mental thing and the physical thing, really to work just a little harder," Cash said on Control the Controllables podcast, per Sportskeeda.

Meanwhile, Kyrgios hasn't played in any tournaments so far this season.

In January, Kyrgios surgically repaired his knee.

This week, Kyrgios withdrew from the French Open.

Now that Kyrgios is also out of the French Open, he will likely target the grass season for his comeback.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/OFswiI9

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