Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, 22, still feels the effects of his stunning Wimbledon win over well-known Rafa Nadal. The world number 20 outclassed Nadal in round-of-16 to send the Spaniard packing from the tournament three years ago.
Back then, a 19-year-old Kyrgios had his debut appearance at The All England Club. The Australian was given a chance to compete against a former Wimbledon champion on the famous Centre Court. The win over Spain's Nadal put the tennis world in disbelief but gave the rising star a memorable experience and a career highlight.
Kyrgios will be making his fourth straight and fourth ever appearance at The Championships when the event kicks off on July 3. As he is back to a familiar place to him, old memories have started to come to his mind.
Kyrgios hasn't reached the quarter-final stage since 2014, having concluded his campaign in the last-16 in back-to-back years.
''I draw confidence from it every time I go out on the court,'' Kyrgios said, as revealed by The Guardian. ''I know that I can produce that style of tennis and obviously, I carry that confidence over into matches.''
A potentially tricky clash
Rising Nick Kyrgios is set to open up his campaign on the grass of Wimbledon against potentially tricky grass-courter Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
The match has been scheduled to take place on Monday, the opening day of the tournament. The two players will be going head-to-head for the first time in their respective careers when they clash off at The All England Club.
Kyrgios wary ahead of the Herbert challenge
Number 20 seed Nick Kyrgios insists that he is cautious ahead of his opening match at Wimbledon against unseeded Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Herbert, a 6ft 2in tall French, won it all in the Wimbledon men's doubles competition alongside fellow compatriot Nicolas Mahut last year.
Herbert good serve and volleying is a good match for the grass surface. However, the French hasn't been able to leave his mark on grass so far this year. The world number 70 bowed out in round one in Stuttgart before failing to pass qualifying at Queen's.
''He (Herbert) is very capable,'' Kyrgios said of Herbert ahead of the match, as quoted by Tennis Australia. ''He’s played some great singles matches. I think this is his best surface for sure – he serves well, he comes forward pretty much every point, so I know I’m going to have to play the right style of tennis to beat him. He’s dangerous.''
