Rafael Nadal into eighth Wimbledon 2022 quarter-finals where he will meet Taylor Fritz. On the other side, Nick Kyrgios won convincingly to set up a last-eight showdown with Cristian Garin.
Nick Kyrgios (24/100) vs Cristian Garin (3/1) – Wimbledon 2022 quarter-finals
The Jekyll and Hyde act that is Nick Kyrgios rolls on. He was in foul spirits during his tempestuous 3rd round encounter with Stefanos Tsitsipas, verbally abusing judges and spitting at fans.
But he was on his best behaviour during his marathon five-set win against American Brandon Nakashima. Kyrgios managed to play through a shoulder injury as he blasted 79 winners throughout the match. This included a remarkable 35 aces.
He took his 2022 grass-court record to 11-2, setting up his 2nd Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance. The rude Aussie is just impossible to understand at times (Sigmund Freud would have had a field day psychoanalysing him). But despite all his terrible behaviour, there’s something about him you can’t help but admire. He flies in the face of Wimbledon tradition.
His brash, cocksure arrogance makes for a point of difference. For all their remarkable brilliance, we all know what to expect from the ‘Big Three’. Nadal’s fist-pumps and Federer’s tears are the stuff of legend. But Kyrgios brings something completely different to the table.
He doesn’t want to be loved and sometimes it seems like he doesn’t really want to win. He is the sort of wayward genius that you can’t ignore (think John Daly or Gazza). But he really needs a Grand Slam title to solidify the genius part of that equation.
Next up for Kyrgios is surprise package Cristian Garin. I think it’s fair to say that no one saw this one coming. The Chilean is your prototypical South American clay-court player (all five of his career ATP Tour titles have come on clay).
But the World No 43 has taken advantage of a favourable draw and some amazing fortune. He was scheduled to play 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini in the first round. But the Italian superstar was forced to withdraw on the eve of the tournament due to a positive Covid test.
He also needed to show amazing grit in his 4th round match against ‘speed demon’ Alex de Minaur. He saved two match-points in a marathon five-set match that must have left some scar tissue. Key to that victory was aggression. Garin was far too passive in the opening two sets against the Aussie.
But he started to dictate the play from the 3rd set, breaking away from the safety of the baseline. He reached the 4th round here last year so he clearly knows how to play at SW19. But this match will be a completely different beast.
The Verdict: Kyrgios to win in straight sets at 1/1- This will be the first meeting between these two. Obviously, Kyrgios’ shoulder injury is a slight concern. But he should have too much firepower for a game Garin.
The Chilean hasn’t played anyone with the devastating power of Kyrgios (his match against de Minaur almost felt like a clay-court affair). Considering the rollercoaster nature of Kyrgios’ tournament, a comprehensive victory seems due.
Rafa Nadal (2) (4/11) vs Taylor Fritz (11) (85/40) – Wimbledon 2022 quarter-finals
Who would have thought that Rafa Nadal would be lining up a calendar Slam this time last year? His loss to Djokovic at last year’s French Open seemed to indicate the beginning of the end.
His foot and knee issues were multiplying and he just seemed to have lost his aura. But he has bounced back like a true champion as he looks to reach his first Wimbledon final since 2011. He started slowly this year, needing four sets to beat both Berankis and Cerundolo.
But he really burst into life with a commanding 3rd round demolition of the dangerous Lorenzo Sonego. He brutalized Sonego’s 2nd serve with a majestic display of returning power. He was similarly efficient against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Nadal never played any competitive grass-court matches leading into this year’s Wimbledon. That means that he is currently on an eleven-match winning streak. But next up for the Spaniard is the only player who has beaten him in a final this year: Taylor Fritz.
It was quite fitting that Taylor Fritz advanced on the 4th of July (America’s day of independence). He has been nothing short of devastating during this year’s Wimbledon, advancing to his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal without dropping a set.
The victory over qualifier Jason Kubler actually extended his grass-court winning streak to eight matches (he won Eastbourne just prior to these Championships).
That was actually his 2nd Eastbourne title after he won the event in 2019. It kind of came out of nowhere: he lost his first-round matches at the Libema Open and Queens.
But Fritz should be a perfect fit for this surface. He serves big and likes to keep the rallies short. He creates nice angles on both the forehand and backhand wings. He also has a flair for the dramatic and doesn’t mind getting the Boris Becker dive out.
He also has that topspin lob that is reminiscent of Pete Sampras. An he has a psychological edge over Nadal, beating him earlier this year in a massive Indian Wells performance.
The Verdict: Nadal to win in four sets at 12/5- These two share the head-to-head record at 1-1. Nadal won in straight-sets in Acapulco in 2020. But as I noted earlier, Fritz humbled the Spaniard in this year’s Indian Wells final.
It goes without saying that Fritz will need to serve like dynamite to compete. Nadal has been returning brilliantly, getting progressively deeper in the court as the tournament has evolved. But Nadal is just looking too good.
His mobility looks supreme and I can’t see any other result than a Nadal victory. But Fritz may pick up a set due to his serve.
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