Australian Open 2020 Live Score Updates: Rafa Nadal renews his rivalry with Nick Kyrgios in a blockbuster fourth-round clash.
Australian Open 2020 Live Score Streaming, Rafael Nadal vs Nick Kyrgios Highlights: Rafael Nadal has beaten Aussie hope Nick Kyrgios in four sets to reach the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament for the 41st time. The 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) win allowed Nadal to join Jimmy Connors in third place on the all-time list of Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances, behind only Roger Federer (57) and Novak Djokovic (46).
Nadal was broken while serving for the match, then was unable to convert two breakpoints in the next game but held his composure to clinch it in a tiebreaker. The 19-time major champion won the Australian Open in 2009 and has reached four finals here times since. He will next play fifth-seeded Dominic Thiem, who is into the quarterfinals in Australia for the first time.
Well, what can I say about Nick? When he is playing today with his positive attitude, he brings a lot of positive things to our sport. So I encouraging him to keep working like this because he is one of the highest talents that we have on our tour and I like the Nick Kyrgios during the whole of this tournament.
'Have been a very tough match. Since in the beginning, I was a little bit under control. But, you know, against Nick, you are never under control because if you have a mistake, like I had in the second set with one serve of mine, then he has the break and it’s so difficult to break him again,' Nadal said
'Happened again in the fourth. He played a good game, but I played a scary game at 5-4! But that’s part of the sport. Accept that, and then I try to recover mentally and try to recover mentally for 6-5 and the end of the tiebreak,' he added.
What can I say? I wake up this morning with this terrible news. Super sad. He has been one of the greatest sportsman in the history, so he just deserves a round of big applause.
I didn’t spend time with him but I met him. I have a very close friend that was playing with him for a long time, Pau Gasol, and he always told me that his spirit of overcoming, his spirit of hard work. He always wanted more, he always wanted to increase his level. He’s always been a true inspiration for the world of sport and for a lot of kids, so yeah it’s one of those days that you want to forget. But Kobe Bryant will be in our heart and our minds for the rest of our lives.
Well, he is not the World No. 1 for nothing after all. Rafa Nadal beats Nick Kyrgios 6-3 3-6 7-6(6) 7-6(4) to advance to his 12th Australian Open quarterfinals in three hours and 38 minutes.
Nadal 1-0 Kyrgios: Nadal forces an error on Kyrgios
Nadal 1-1 Kyrgios: Nadal responds to a smash by Kyrgios but hammers a forehand into the net
Nadal 2-1 Kyrgios: A quick serving point for Nadal
Nadal 2-2 Kyrgios: Good serve gives Kyrgios point
Nadal 3-2 Kyrgios: Nadal challenges but the ball has caught the line
Nadal 3-3 Kyrgios: Kyrgios presents Nadal with an easy forehand but he hits the ball into the net
Nadal 4-3 Kyrgios: Kyrgios' return hits the net
Nadal 5-3 Kyrgios: Kyrgios misses a drop shot
Nadal 5-4 Kyrgios: A brilliant rally goes in favour of Kyrgios
Nadal 6-4 Kyrgios: NADAL WINS
And we are headed towards a fourth-set tie-break which decides whether this match goes into the decider or not.
A turn of events! It's not just Kyrgios who is tired now. Kyrgios saves two break points including one in a jaw-dropping rally and then goes 6-5 ahead when Nadal sends a backhand long.
Nadal double faults under pressure again to give Kyrgios two break points. In a must-break game, Kyrgios breaks Nadal for just the second time all match, and it's 5-5 in the fourth set.
Kyrgios digs deep to force Nadal to serve for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set.
Kyrgios' serve is keeping the 23rd seed in this contest against Nadal. However, down a break, the Aussie trails Nadal 3-5 in the fourth set.
Kyrgios tried but Nadal is too good for him. Kyrgios stretches to take the shot, falls and takes all the time to get up. Nadal is rushing towards the fourth-round win
Nadal consolidates the break with little fuss and is 3-1. Even Kyrgios, whose energy levels continue to dip, can be heard telling Nadal, "that's a hell of a serve".
After two forehand errors, Kyrgios handed over the break to love with a double fault. Kyrgios did well to take the first game in the fourth set but has started to look exhausted
Nadal 1-0 Kyrgios: Kyrgios pushes a backhand wide on Nadal's serve
Nadal 2-0 Kyrgios: Ano unforced error as Kyrgios slams a backhand into the net
Nadal 2-1 Kyrgios: Kyrgios pushes a volley back across the court after sending Nadal out
Nadal 3-1 Kyrgios: Kyrgios sends another backhand into the net, slams racket on the ground in frustration
Nadal 4-1 Kyrgios: Nadal hooks a great forehand crosscourt
Nadal 4-2 Kyrgios: Nadal misses lose forehand
Nadla 4-3 Kyrgios: Nadal's shot goes into the net
Nadal 5-3 Kyrgios: Missed opportunity for Kyrgios as Nadal metres behind the baseline
Nadal 5-4 Kyrgios: Nadal's forehand takes the net
Nadal 5-5 Kyrgios: Kyrgios serve forces an error
Nadal 6-5 Kyrgios: Nadal gets a set point as Kyrgios blows the opportunity
Nadal 6-6 Kyrgios: Nadal double faults
Nadal 7-6 Kyrgios: Nadal takes Kyrgios wide, comes to the net and angles a backhand volley out of reach
Nadal 8-6 Kyrgios: An error by Kyrgios and Nadal takes the set
And the match has reached the point when Kyrgios throws the racket on the ground in frustration after sending another backhand into the net. He gets a warning from the umpire for good measure.
And that's third set tie-break! Kyrgios managed to survive many close calls but forces the set into tie-break. Hold your breath!
Nadal holds for 6-5 in the third against Kyrgios, who is no longer laughing. He is getting frustrated at the chair umpire. Looks like we are headed towards a tie-break.
Kyrgios’ gets a nervous point on his serve at 30-30. He shrugged off any nerves and crushed two unreturned serves to hold. Could be anyone's set right now
Kyrgios fends off a break point to hold for 4-4 in the third vs Nadal with an audacious drop shot which barely took the line. He then produced two monster serves and makes it 4-4 in the third.
No player is giving any ground on their serve in the third set and it's 3-3 after Kyrgios holds without any issues. Kyrgios is enjoying the match a lot. He is laughing, engaging with the crowd and taking it easy. Nadal, on the other hand, is super serious
A comfortable hold for Rafael Nadal but Kyrgios dropped the first game on his second service game of the third set but then reeled off four straight points to level at 2-2. Intense match underway at the Rod Laver Arena
Nadal takes a comfortable hold in the opening game of the third set but Kyrgios answered with four consecutive points after going 0-30 down in the next.
Kyrgios takes the set 6-3 in 46 minutes and levels the match. He slammed down two aces in a row to hold and take the set.
0f course! Nadal gives a tough fightback even though Kyrgios was a game away from winning the set. Nadal wins another hold with a brilliant serve and forehand combination.
Nick Kyrgios is one game away from taking the second set against Rafael Nadal. The Aussie just ripped a huge forehand down the line to move 5-2 ahead and the pressure is on the world no.1 to respond now.
It is time for Kyrgios to shine as he rushes towards taking the second set. The momentum has clearly shifted and Kyrgios seems to be enjoying now. Nadal won't make it easy for the home favourite though.
Kyrgios has just held serve again to lead 2-1 after a simple service game to start the second set for Nadal. Kyrgios looks more relaxed now after an intense opening set
What a game, what a fight! The Aussie saves a flurry of break points in the opening game of the second set to hold for 1-0 after dropping the first to Nadal.
World No. 1 Rafa Nadal wins the game and with that the first set. Nadal makes the most of weak service game by Kyrgios as he held on to serve, taking the first set 6-3
Time is running out for Kyrgios as Nadal gets closer to taking this set. Another quick hold follows for Nadal, who holds to love. Kyrgios serves in hope of keeping the first set still alive
Nadal dominates the proceedings in the first set, but it is not over yet as a pumped-up Kyrgios ensures it remains a great contest. The fourth game just like the previous two belongs to the Spaniard as he wins it 40-30. He opens up the game with a spectacular serve and followed it up with a forehand down-the-line winner. Kyrgios showed signs of fightback taking the score back to 30-30 but had no response to the next two serves by Nadal.
Kyrgios fights back in the second game making it 1-1, however, the Spaniard is back at his best in the third game of Set 1, as he secures it with 40-0 margin. It was some great serving by the Spaniard as he closed it with a beautiful forehand stroke.
The World No 1 starts off on a positive note but had to fight for it. Nadal double-faulted twice in the game, which saw it going into deuce, however, a splendid serve and an error by his opponent helps him get the lead here.
Nick Kyrgios pays tribute to basketball legend Kobe Bryant as he walks down to the court at the Rod Laver Arena wearing LA Lakers jersey with Bryant's name on it. An emotional moment not just for him but for the entire sports fraternity.
Hello and welcome to the LIVE COVERAGE of the fourth-round Australian Open match between Rafa Nadal and local boy Nick Kyrgios. This is the first time the two are facing each other in a single event since Wimbledon 2019, which Nadal had won. However, the Australian didn't take the result in a pleasant way as he went on to describe Nadal as a "sore loser." Can he finally have his say, this time around or will we witness a similar story? Stay tuned for LIVE UPDATES!