Each in their own way, the two Wimbledon finalists share an irreverent approach to the game.

Within the

establishment

for many years, a winner like very few,

Novak Djokovic

has never stopped embodying the rebellious and often grumpy tennis player, unable to win the appreciation of the majority of the fans.

Nick Kyrgios

,

an almost outlaw type, his quarrelsome and dilettante attitudes have not prevented him from gaining numerous sympathies.

"Wherever I go, I fill up stadiums. The media love to write that I'm bad for sport, but that's not the case," defends the Australian of Greek origin who will play his first individual final in a tournament this Sunday (4:00 p.m., Let's go). Grand Slam.

Perhaps if, at 27 years old, with almost a decade on the circuit, he presented an outstanding resume, the general perception would be different, but, after all, with only six ATP titles, none of them even in category Masters 1000, and a prominence acquired for the most part by his volcanic character and by frequently moving within the limits of the regulations and good manners, Kyrgios is still seen as a loser, a bad boy unable to capitalize on his indisputable talent , which inspires understanding.

"He is much more intelligent than some imagine. In his head, things work very well at a tactical level"

Pepe Vendrell, coach of Cristian Garín, his rival in the quarterfinals

"He is much more intelligent than the fans imagine. Everything he does has one intention: to get his rival out of the game. In his head, things work very well at a tactical level. He knows how to extract lessons from each match," he told this newspaper in a telephone conversation

Pepe Vendrell

, coach of

Cristian Garín

, his opponent in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Complaint for mistreatment

Kyrgios played that match 24 hours after his ex-girlfriend,

Chiara Passari

, filed a complaint in Australia accusing him of mistreatment.

It is, without a doubt, the most serious reprobation that weighs on him, used to starring in bravado and unedifying behavior, as happened in the third round match against

Stefanos Tsitipas

, when he spat at a spectator, only one of the episodes of a duel with a lot of ardor also beyond the bottom line.

Djokovic thanked him at a press conference, after beating

Cameron Norrie

in the semifinals , for his support at the last Australian Open, when the Serbian was in the eye of the hurricane for his refusal to be vaccinated against covid.

Nole

, who is looking for his seventh Wimbledon, where he has accumulated 27 consecutive victories and has not lost since e1 July 12, 2017, when he retired due to injury in the quarterfinals against

Tomas Berdych

, knows that it will not be easy for him to also add the twenty-first Grand Slam, with which one of

Rafael Nadal

would be placed .

Kyrgios has beaten him both times they met: in the quarterfinals of Acapulco and in the round of 16 at Indian Wells, both in 2017, both without conceding a set.

It is evident that we are in a very different situation, a final that for Belgrade will be the thirty-second of the Grand Slam, already one more than

Roger Federer

and two above Nadal, and that the Australian had never passed the quarterfinals in a competition of this category, but its quality is unquestionable

More mature and fit

"Sometimes he loses control, but at any moment he can break the bank," continues Vendrell.

"He has matured in an environment of trust, he is well surrounded, he takes better care of himself, he rests better. Nothing happens by chance. A year and a half ago he was not prepared, he was out of shape."

He is, with 120

aces

, the tournament leader in that record.

"With the serve he makes a difference. He has variability and precision with both the first and the second. In addition, he is better than the rest, he makes you play. It is true that he is going to measure himself against an extraordinary returner like Djokovic, but if he finds the rhythm with his service I see him with options to win the match", says Vendrell.

The Canberra player, who lacks a coach, is accompanied by his physical trainer,

Will Maher

, his father,

Giorgos

, his mother,

Nill

, his brothers,

Christos

and

Halimah

, his girlfriend,

Costteen Hatzi

, a 22-year-old model and businesswoman, and his manager,

Daniel Horsfall

.

Kyrgios, in the final without having to play against Nadal, injured, appeared in society eight years ago when he reached the quarterfinals of the tournament as a guest, from 144th place, leaving the Spaniard on the road.

He now he is willing to homologate superlative qualities in a big way.

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