Nick Krygios: 5 Things About The Teen Who Defeated Rafael Nadal
Nick Krygios, a 19-year-old from Australia ranked at 144, defeated Rafael Nadal on Day 8 of the Wimbledon Men’s Singles on July 1. Read on for 5 things to know about Nick!
Tennis fans were totally shocked when Rafael Nadal, ranked #1 in Men’s Singles Tennis, was defeated on July 1 at Wimbledon by Nick Krygios, an Australian teenager ranked 143 spots below him. Read on for 5 things to know about Nick, the upstart who’s making headlines for ending the winning streak of one of the best tennis players in the world!
1. The Basics
Nick, of Malaysian and Greek descent, was born Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios in Canberra, Australia on April 27, 1995. He’s tall at 6’4″, and he plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand. He turned pro at 2013 and as of this writing, he has won $235,084 in prize money.
2. Nick’s Win Was Ironic, And Historic
Nick was the first teenager to defeat a #1 player at a Grand Slam since 2005 — when Rafael did the same against Roger Federer at the 2005 French Open. Nick’s win also marked the first time that a player ranked outside of the top 100 defeated a #1 player since 1992.
This is also the first time that a player born in the 1990s defeated Rafael. We know, Rafael, we also can’t believe that current fully-grown human beings were born in the mid-1990s.
3. Nick’s Own Mother Didn’t Think He Stood A Chance Against Rafael
“I saw in an interview my mom said [Nadal] was too good,” Nick the BBC after his win. “That made me a little bit angry.” Um, we don’t blame you, Nick. However, his mother, Norlaila, told The Daily Mail that “she gets far too nervous when watching him play at Wimbledon,” and that she often opts to stay at home as family relay updates.
4. Nick Was As Surprised As Anyone About His Win
Immediately after winning, Nick whipped out his phone to tweet the following:
Erm, ok then………..
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) July 1, 2014
That’s a pretty appropriate reaction to winning against Rafael Nadel, honestly.
5. Part Of His Skill Comes From His Past As A Chubby Kid And From Playing Basketball
Nick played basketball as a child, to which many are owing his ability to make incredible shots like this dope between-the-legs save. Furthermore, when he did pick up that tennis racquet, the fact that he was chubby as a child meant that Nick learned to hit the ball out of his opponents’ reach so that he wouldn’t have to run after it when it was returned! Really feeling Nick’s game, right now.
So, HollywoodLifers, did you catch Nick’s win against Rafael? Were you shocked? Is Nick the Next Big Thing in tennis? Let us know!
— Amanda Michelle Steiner
Follow @AmandaMichl
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