Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Rafael Nadal got by a highly volatile Nick Kyrgios in a spirited second round match at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports headlines from Thursday, highlighted by Rafael Nadal beating Nick Kyrgios in a heated match which saw Kyrgios intentionally target Nadal’s chest.
We also will take a look at a Fourth of July tradition unlike any other – the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island.
All this and more as we get you up to speed with the sports world on this Friday!
Nadal Overcomes Kyrgios’ Theatrics in Hotly Contested Match to Move on to Third Round at Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal saw the best and worst of 24-year-old Nick Kyrgios on display during their Centre Court match at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Nadal, the 18-time major champion, defeated the Australian Kyrgios in an emotionally charged four sets, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).
Kyrgios is an ultra talent on the court who can hang with the game’s best but is also known for his emotional play and theatrics, which are not always well received.
Nadal won the first set on Thursday but Kyrgios showed what he’s capable of when he keeps it together, winning the second set to square the match.
Throughout the match, Kyrgios complained to the chair umpire about Nadal’s deliberate speed of play, which led him to receive an official warning. He would go on to call the umpire “a disgrace.”
Kyrgios would continue his theatrics in a tightly contested match, catching Nadal a couple times with an underhand serve that Nadal was not able to successfully defend.
With Nadal playing up at the net during a point in the third set, Kyrgios lined up and aimed a forehand at his chest, which Nadal was able to deflect away. After the match, Kyrgios would admit that he purposely hit the shot at Nadal’s chest, and he was far from apologetic.
“Why would I apologize? I mean, the dude has got how many Slams, how much money in the bank account?” Kyrgios said. “I think he can take a ball to the chest, bro. I’m not going to apologize to him at all. I actually was going for him, yeah. I wanted to hit him straight in the chest. He’s lucky he’s got decent hands.”
Nadal would go on to win both the third and fourth sets in tie breaks. After the match, the 33-year-old Nadal would say that he was “too old for all this stuff,” referring to Kyrgios’ comments and antics. He also would complement the young Australian’s talent. “When he wants to compete well, he’s one of the toughest opponents you can face,” said Nadal. “Normally against me and the top guys, he wants to try hard. And when he’s that way, he’s very tough.”
In search of his 19th Grand Slam title, which would pull him within one of Roger Federer’s all-time mark for men, Nadal draws another tough opponent, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round. Nadal owns an 8-4 record over Tsonga.
In other action around Wimbledon from Thursday, eight-time champion Roger Federer won in straight sets over British wild-card Jay Clarke and Serena Williams needed three sets to advance past Kaja Juvan. The upset of the day came from unseeded American Lauren Davis, who sent the defending Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber home with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
71 Hot Dogs in 10 Minutes? No Problem. Joey Chestnut Dominates Competition, Wins His 12th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Joey Chestnut is the Michael Jordan of eating competitions.
In a Fourth of July tradition like no other, Chestnut ran away with this year’s competition, consuming 71 hot dogs and buns on his way to his 12th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating title.
Chestnut would fall just three shy of his world record performance from last year when he devoured 74 dogs in 10 minutes.
And I thought the three hot dogs I had on the 4th were a lot.
In the women’s competition, Miki Sudo won her sixth straight title, finishing 31 hot dogs.
According to CBS Sports, Sudo has been on the competitive eating circuit since 2013 and has championships in various eating competitions including ribs and buffalo wings. She has also taken a top-three prize in, get this… a birthday cake-eating competition.
Now that’s something I could get into!
See how much the prize money was for this year’s competition.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Sports Headlines
- Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Kendrick Norton has arm amputated after car accident
- Fire starts outside of St. Lucie Mets’ Stadium after fireworks show
- Five-star forward Jalen Johnson verbally commits to play basketball at Duke
- ‘You touched my heart’: Boston mayor sends congratulatory letter to St. Louis Blues superfan Laila Anderson
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesZion Williamson, the college phenom selected number one overall in last month’s NBA Draft, will make his debut for the Pelicans on Friday night in an NBA Summer League game vs. the Knicks.
NBA Summer League: New Orleans Pelicans vs. New York Knicks
In what will be one of the most anticipated Summer League games in NBA history, the Pelicans’ number one draft pick Zion Williamson will make his debut against his former Duke teammate RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks.
When: Tonight, 9:30pm ET
TV: ESPN
Wimbledon: Third Round Gets Underway
The 15-year-old American rising star Coco Gauff takes Centre Court tomorrow for her third-round match against Slovenia’s Polona Hercog.
TV: ESPN (Coverage begins at 6am ET)
FIFA Women’s World Cup Final: U.S. vs. Netherlands
The defending World Cup champion U.S. Women’s Soccer Team will face the reigning European champion Netherlands in the World Cup Final in France on Sunday.
When: Sunday, 7/7, 11am ET
TV: FOX
