Spanish tennis great Rafa Nadal has dramatically bested Aussie bad boy Nick Kyrgios on a tie break in the fourth set 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in a thrilling and high-octane Wimbledon second round tie, gaining his 50th Wimbledon win.
Nadal admitted he would need to "play at his 100%" against the prodigal Kyrgios, admitting it was unusual to have such a high quality match in Wimbledon's second round, and that he did, but he was pushed all the way by the Australian.
Kyrgios was up to his usual psychological antics and attempted to get inside the head of Nadal, even serving an ace against one of the greatest players of all time with an underhand serve to win a game in the first, much to the chagrin of Rafa.
It was one of an impressive 29 aces for the 24-year-old Canberra native throughout the game.
But that would prove to be Kyrgios' last game won that set as the two-time champ wrapped up the opener 6-3, but the current world no. 43 stormed back to clinch the second by the same score and level proceedings.
The two men pushed each other all the way in the third, but it was an aggressive Nadal who smashed a forehand winner to clinch a 7-5 tie breaker and take a two sets to one lead, and prompting the Spaniard to leap into the air and perform a fist-pump, knowing momentum had swing his way.
Much the same followed in the fourth, with Kyrgios showing his trademark stubbornness, but ultimately losing his way in the tie-break, to give a hard-earned victory to the 18-time Grand Slam winner.
With the win, Rafa notched up his 50th victory at Wimbledon, Nadal will now face Frenchman and two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.