"I felt like, honestly, I was the one to end the streak" - Nick Kyrgios on Rafael Nadal's unbeaten run

Nick Kyrgios gave Rafael Nadal a tough time during their quarter-final clash at the Indian Wells Masters on Thursday. Nadal won 7-6(0), 5-7, 6-4 despite Kyrgios at one stage being just two points away from clinching the opening set.

After his loss, the mercurial Aussie revealed that he had backed himself to win against the 21-time Major champion and hand the Spaniard his first defeat of the season.

"That one (the loss) hit pretty hard. I felt like, honestly, I was the one to end the streak," Nick Kyrgios said. "I felt like I was playing well. I felt like I did everything right in the first set that I planned to do. I sat down with my coach, myself, and I had a game plan, and everything was working."

Kyrgios led Nadal 5-4 30-15 in the opening set but slipped up when it mattered the most, a fact that he rued during his presser.

"Two points away from the first set, I don't know how he got out of that game. 5-4, 30-15, just kept replaying that point over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again," he added.

"My career's 1/40th of what Rafael Nadal's done" - Nick Kyrgios

BNP Paribas Open - Day 11

Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal were reasonably friendly at the net even though both players have a history of bad blood.

When asked if their relationship was on the mend, the Aussie answered in the affirmative and pointed out how he and the 35-year-old have always respected each other's talents.

But Kyrgios stressed that people tend to misunderstand him a lot, given his off-court demeanor is not remotely as eccentric as his on-court behavior.

"Yeah, for sure. I think our tennis always was respected between each other and I think when people actually get to know me I feel like they're sort of, I guess when you see me on court, compared to how I am off the court, I'm a completely different person," Nick Kyrgios said.

Kyrgios believes Nadal is the GOAT as things stand. He reckons the back-and-forth bickering is what has built the rivalry between himself and Nadal, given there is a gulf in their pedigree.

"But like it's just, I feel like we respect each other, like I think he's the greatest of all time as of now, like I really in this game have never said anything that bad, compared to if I went through my comments right now, like that's what I'm getting on a daily basis, I've never said anything like that to Rafael Nadal," Kyrgios said.

"I've had a couple comments and he's had a couple comments back. And, you know, it's good for the sport, like that rivalry, like I'm Nick Kyrgios and I'm a rival to Rafael Nadal. How? Like how is that possible?"

According to the 26-year-old such banter-driven rivalries are "exciting for the sport."

"And I think it's exciting for the sport, do you know what I mean? Like that's what people should be talking about. And my career's 1/40th of what he's done and we're rivals because of that little back and forth that was nothing."

Kyrgios also stressed that he respects the 21-time Major champion and that the Spaniard's presence is good for tennis.

"Now I respect the hell out of him, but I was like a little kid watching these guys win grand slams, like I'm 26 years old, like I'm not old," Kyrgios said. "I looked up to all these guys growing up, when I was on the fence getting my ball signed when I was 12 years old, Rafa, Federer, Novak, Tsonga, like do you know what I mean?

"Like I feel like I'm helping the sport, I'm creating more attention and everyone who thinks that I'm bad for the sport is just an idiot. Like they have got, obviously got no idea. No idea."

Also Check Out: Indian Wells Masters 2022 Schedule