2019 Abierto Mexicano Telcel...ATP 500...Acapulco, Mexico

[don_budge]

Rafael Nadal versus Nick Kyrgios. Practically enough said. Except one forum contributor has alluded to a personality disorder.

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/cu...ulco/807/draws

[stroke]

Yes. could be a good one. If Nick is ever going to be really interested, now would be a good time, I plan on watching. I kind of like Nick's chances in this one. Nadal is going to have a tough time dealing with that serve. Where is the hesitation point/trophy position in that scary fast twitch motion. Around his right hip? It is certainly not a motion Brian would teach.

[arturohernandez]

Did anyone watch Mischa against Nadal? Mischa lost 6-3, 6-3. But he is able to cutoff so many angles. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the return game to threaten Nadal. But I am wondering when the next Pat Rafter or a younger version of Mischa will decide that he or she will never be as good from the baseline. Someone with game like Sampras. Then that person devotes him or herself to coming in like crazy and attacking all the time. It would take a special kind of person to break the mold in this way.

The press was announcing the death of the one handed backhand and then Stanimal showed everyone it was a premature call.

I am still hoping that someone comes to wake those up who think they can continually win by just ripping shots from the baseline.

Here is to wishful thinking!

[don_budge]

Here is to wishful thinking!

My wish came through. Nick Kyrgios defeats Rafael Nadal. Nadal double faults at 6-6 in the third set tie-break. I clapped...in my imagination.

[don_budge]

The Mystifying Case of "Curious George" Kyrgios...The Nadal Syndrome

Was up a bit early today. The dogs you know. Nature calls. NATURE...NATURE...NATURE!. You must listen to Mother Nature you know. If you don't...she can hurt you. Today I wasn't quick enough...so my wife says. But I was on it. Pulled on the ten year old Wilson long tennis pants, socks and shoes in one motion. York the wolf was already waiting for me downstairs. By the door on the steps. The floor is a linoleum type surface. It's important that I tell you this...about the linoleum because it is easy to wash. York stood right in front of me as I was putting on my coat, hat and boots. He urinated looking me in the eye. I was amazed...I said to him in no uncertain terms..."STOP!" He just continued to look...and urinate. Emptied the whole bladder. It was strange as if he was dreaming. Isn't that how people wet the bed? Dreaming of taking a nice leak and waking up in a puddle. I live in the country. With a city woman turned country. She is on the wild. She cleaned up the mess and I took the dogs out. Five-thirty AM. Nice start to the day.

Meanwhile...I made my way back up the stairs for another hour of shuteye. But just by chance I thought I would check the computer for something. Anything. Do you ever find yourself doing that? There it was. Lo and behold. Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios and Fafa Nadal in the third set...the tie-break was just about to begin. Nick was into it. I guess if he is in the third set tie-break against Rafael Nadal down in sunny Acapulco, how could he not be? He was going to go out with guns blazing and that is exactly what he did. He faced three match points down to draw even at 6-6 then poor little skunk boy throws in a double fault. Nothing has made me happier lately. I shouldn't say that. I don't want to jeopardise a pretty good run. We know it never ends well. But just the same. I don't normally find any happiness in another's demise. But Nadal is an exception. I consider him an enemy...of all that is tennis. Enemies being what they are find their way too. It isn't any different with them. It isn't going to end pretty.

Nick played a whale of a match from what I understand. I will check the highlights. But he was into it in that tie-break. Which leads us to the bigger question that was posed down in Delray. Bipolar? What a high this was and compared to all of the low points. He went out on the court to a mixed chorus of boos and cheers. I guess some do like Nadal. I get that they like him quite a lot. I'm not a big fan of the Curious One but today he is my hero. He put his hand to his ear to signal the haters to ramp it up. He was getting off on it. He was loving it. He's a curious one alright. Both knees taped up and he brings down the mighty Skunk. What about the same kind of effort consistently Nick? It isn't in the DNA. Oh well. That's how it goes sometimes. It's going to be a great day somehow. The sun is out. The President of the United States of America in is Vietnam...negotiating. Thank you Lord.

[don_budge]

Highlights worth watching. Love the handshake at the end. No love lost. None there in the first place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaWw8fRd2zs

Nick is a real enigma. He is capable of playing at this level...so why doesn't he? Interesting guy. It takes all kinds.

[stroke]

Highlights worth watching. Love the handshake at the end. No love lost. None there in the first place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaWw8fRd2zs

Nick is a real enigma. He is capable of playing at this level...so why doesn't he? Interesting guy. It takes all kinds.

He is certainly that, ol fast twitch Nick. He clearly at the very least has no respect for Nadal, which I am sure makes it easier for him to compete against him than all other players, who do respect Nadal(except maybe Soderling). The crowd and certainly Nadal felt that lack of respect and they were none to pleased, and I am sure Nick could not care less.

[stroke]

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/1093604/Nick-Kyrgios-Rafael-Nadal-moan-spat-taunt-Mexican-Open-tennis-news

[stroke]

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/1093597/Rafael-Nadal-Nick-Kyrgios-Mexican-Open-Acapulco

[arturohernandez]

He is certainly that, ol fast twitch Nick. He clearly at the very least has no respect for Nadal, which I am sure makes it easier for him to compete against him than all other players, who do respect Nadal(except maybe Soderling). The crowd and certainly Nadal felt that lack of respect and they were none to pleased, and I am sure Nick could not care less.

Curious should hire Mac as his coach. They have a very similar personality. Both are so overly talented. This is exactly what others should do. Nadal plays so far back and Kyrgios exploited this beautifully. I realize that bipolar disorder cannot be cured. But there are treatments that make things better. Maybe he is already on meds for this.

It's the first time I see real fight in him during a match. It feels like a Djokovic moment from the US open many years ago against Fed.

I am still wishing for something different. Someone to break the monotony of robo tennis that has infected our game.

Next up is Stanimal and this will be a great match if Nick is up to it.

Finally, some fresh air has been let out in the muggiest of tropics.

[don_budge]

good tournament no doubt, but to me the match of the week by far has been fast twitch Nick taking down Nadal. That was impressive. It will be very interesting to see if he chooses to really compete 2 days in a row vs Stan. Very interesting. He is certainly the better player to me, and that is saying something as Stan is top shelf.

As my father would say...Nick Kyrgios is interesting. He follows up a huge dramatic spectacle win over Rafael Nadal with another dramatic win over Stan Wawrinka. I wish I could have seen the handshake after that match. There was some bad blood between the two but I don't know if Nick has the attention span to maintain a grudge. At any rate Acapulco is a tournament...every bit as good as Dubai. As long as Nick Kyrgios is alive.

klacr says that watching Nick is like a bad car accident...it's hard to look away. But when he's good...he is very good. The best three set matches in the past couple of years were Federer versus Kyrgios and the match against Nadal has to be one of the best if not the best so far this year. In terms of watchability. Spectacle value. After all...who doesn't love a good Nadal takedown.

If only Kyrgios can maintain his sanity for another round and Alexander Zverev doesn't get that "deer in the headlights" look the final could be something to tune in to. Kyrgios and Zverev have split six matches so far. But it remains to be seen. You cannot get ahead of yourself with any of these players and Nick being who and what he is...just try to stay in that moment that is the point in front of your nose. Come to think of it that would be some great advice that John McEnroe could relate to "Curious George" Nick Kyrgios.

A great win over Wawrinka who was relegated to the second drawer this morning.

[don_budge]

Curious should hire Mac as his coach. They have a very similar personality. Both are so overly talented.

The big difference in their personality makeups is that McEnroe never quit. When he got angry or frustrated he channeled that energy towards a win...sometimes it was a devious channel but he didn't give up nevertheless. Kyrgios, on the other hand, seems to be looking for an excuse to go in the tank. I suspect bad self-esteem for whatever reason.

The difficulty in finding a coach for "Curious George" is that you will have to find a person who Nick respects yet a person who has tolerance for the infinite disappointment. This is a tough find.

[don_budge]

Nick Kyrgios versus Stan Wawrinka...Highlights w/handshake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir0NIt011Yc

Excellent match minus histrionics. No apparent bad blood between the boys. Excellent handshake. It appears that they have put it behind them...at least professionally. No telling what is behind the scenes. But a well fought match by both players and it is good to see Stan Wawrinka competing hard at an event other than a Grand Slam. But Kyrgios? His enigma status just continues to rise. Every match is a question mark. Coming up...John Isner. Coming off a 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 win over John Millman. Does Isner have the stamina to keep firing bullets? Does Nick have the attention span to compete three days in a row? I'm guessing that Isner does and I'm clueless as to who will show in Kyrgios' shoes.

[don_budge]

Nick "Curious George" Kyrgios versus Anybody...Alexander Zverev

Don't have a lot of time to elaborate but what I just witnessed in Nick's match with John Isner was nothing short of a epiphany. When Nick is on and when he is competing he has more "watchability" than any other player on the tour...except perhaps Roger. He even made the Goliath John Isner look compelling. That is no easy task either. Watching Isner normally is about as interesting as watching paint dry...or grass grow. Although I must say that I have made a sport of watching the grass grow here in the fields of Sweden.

So next up is a doozy and the question remains which Nick will show up..."Curious George" or "The Jerk". Hmmm...I'm betting on George. stroke...what are the odds makers saying?

[stroke]

Oddsmakers have Alex at about a 61% chance of winning as the favorite in this match. I like Nick here also. He certainly has a better serve, forehand, and hands than Alex and he is a better mover if he chooses to be. Fed is favorite at 73% chance of winning. Of these 2 matches, both great matchups, if I could choose only 1 to watch, it would be Nick vs Alex.