Nick Kyrgios has wished Rafa Nadal well in his recovery from the injury that forced the Spaniard out of the Wimbledon semi-final and gifted the Australian a place in his first grand slam final.
Kyrgios was gifted a walkover into Sunday’s final against either Novak Djokovic of Cam Norrie when Nadal, who played through an abdominal tear sustained during his quarter-final win against Taylor Fritz, admitted defeat and pulled out on Thursday.
Kyrgios’s response to the two-times Wimbledon champion’s withdrawal was charged with the sort of respect that has defined the interaction between top players in this golden era of men’s tennis. “Different players, different personalities,” he posted on Instagram. “I hope your recovery goes well and we all hope to see you healthy soon.
Till next time ...” As focus Kyrgios’s focus turns to Sunday’s title match, his camp on Friday confirmed he will be without one of his biggest supporters for the most important match of his career.