Hampered Nadal Gets Past Fritz at Wimbledon; Kyrgios Next

Hampered Nadal Gets Past Fritz at Wimbledon; Kyrgios Next
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after beating Taylor Fritz of the US in a men's singles quarterfinal match on day ten of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on July 6, 2022. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

WIMBLEDON, England—Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal thought he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz.

Up in the Centre Court stands, Nadal’s father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand Slam champion to quit. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he didn’t listen. Nadal stayed out there, adjusted his service motion and his strategy—and figured out a way to win.