Picture Credit: Instagram
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has challenged the current Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles champion and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for an exhibition match in Murcia. During a social media Q&A session, Kyrgios talked about how much of a force Alcaraz is and remarked that he would have liked to face him last year when the Australian was at his best, rather than now when he’s recovering from a wrist injury. The enigmatic player then challenged the young Spaniard to an exhibition in Alcaraz’s home city of Murcia, Spain.
After achieving his second ever Grand Slam win, and first Wimbledon win, Alcaraz is the hottest prospect in the tennis world, and Kyrgios thinks it is a perfect opportunity to stage an exhibition game between the two popular players. Kyrgios had previously challenged Roger Federer to an exhibition match in Switzerland, which did not go through in the end. The seven-time ATP singles champion also stated that he would like to face Alcaraz when he is healthy.
He wrote on Instagram, “[Alcaraz] is a force for sure. I would of loved to see how it would of gone down last year when I was healthy and playing lights out. @carlitosalcarazz, what about next year in your town we do an exhibition?”
Kyrgios answers when asked on Nadal’s return
Nick Kyrgios also said that the tour will be better when both him and Rafael Nadal return from injury. Kyrgios is currently out with a wrist injury while Nadal is recovering from a hip flexor injury sustained during the Australian Open in January, earlier this year. Answering a fan’s question on Rafa’s return, Kyrgios said, “The tour will be better when we are both back.”
Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal last went head-to-head at the Indian Wells Masters in 2022 where the Spaniard beat the Australian and took their all-time head to head record to 6-3. The two were supposed to meet in the Wimbledon semi-finals but Nadal pulled out due to an abdominal injury, which gave Kyrgios a walkover win.
Despite often commenting on the umpires’ supposed favouritism towards the 22-time Grand Slam champion, Kyrgios has also often shown his admiration for the Spanish tennis icon, going so far as to call him the greatest of all time. He also named Nadal as one of his three greatest rivals on the tour, alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas and Stan Wawrinka.
