In Indian Wells Rafael Nadal took his 19th consecutive victory in 2022, beating Nick Kyrgios to reach the semifinal where he will face the talented compatriot Carlos Alcaraz. The reigning champion, Paula Badosa, advances in the women’s draw to complete the Spanish party in California. “Rafa” had to sweat the passage of the round – 7-6 (7/0), 5-7, 6-4 – against the volcanic Kyrgios, whose 132nd place in the world rankings does not reflect the current level, after more than two years of hardship, between nervous breakdowns, inability to play due to Covid in 2020 and a 2021 dedicated to the tiring ascent. In addition, Nadal had to contend with himself, penalized by a large number of unforced errors, including seven double faults. Kyrgios lived up to his reputation: as extravagant as he was angry, including a “shut the fuck up” to an overly talkative spectator, which earned him a penalty point, a pair of smashed rackets and a court-stand squabble. with actor and director Ben Stiller. Among the various ‘pearls’ a scramble to the chair referee: “It’s your fucking job to control the audience!”.
After having dreamed of it for a long time, tennis Spain will have their generation clash between 35-year-old Nadal and his dolphin, Alcaraz, who is 17 years younger. The number 19 in the ranking outclassed (6-4, 6-3) the British Cameron Norrie (no. 12), reigning champion, who could not do anything against the speed and power of the blows fired by the opponent. At 18, Alcaraz became the second youngest player to reach the last four of this Masters 1000 behind Andre Agassi, who was 17 in 1988.
Previously, Paula Badosa (# 7 in the world) had no problem beating Russian Veronika Kudermetova (# 24) 6-3, 6-2, who had won in the first three comparisons. “I was making the same mistakes against her, this time I wanted her to finish. I served very well and was more aggressive,” commented the 24-year-old Spaniard, looking for her second title this season after winning the Sydney Tournament in January. She will challenge Maria Sakkari (# 6), who had never passed the round of 16 in the Californian desert and defeated the Kazakh Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-4. The other semifinal will see the Polish Iga Swiatek against the Romanian Simona Halep.
Source: Ansa
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