Rafael Nadal built a reputation as one of the most likable and classiest athletes ever, but Nick Kyrgios used to hate the Spaniard.

Nadal’s legendary career ended last month at the Davis Cup Finals after Team Spain was defeated by the Netherlands. The 14-time French Open champion also lost his final match against Botic van de Zandschulp.

The frustration of not ending his career with a fifth Davis Cup title did not stop Nadal from speaking eloquently during the retirement ceremony held for him afterward in Malaga. It included him saying he hoped to be remembered as a good person.

Despite the emotions stirred by the retirement ceremony, many significant figures in Nadal’s life were disappointed with his farewell. For example, Carlos Moya, Nadal’s primary coach since 2018, called it shabby.

Spanish Davis Cup captain David Ferrer lamented Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, Nadal’s greatest rivals, not being present for his farewell and said it watered down what should have felt like a momentous moment.

The widespread love and admiration for Nadal explain why pressure existed to give the 22-time Grand Slam winner and former ATP world No. 1 a send-off that marked how significant he had been to tennis.

However, Kyrgios did not always share that respect for Nadal. The Australian regularly and controversially criticized the tennis legend for various reasons, including calling him “salty” after losses.

Those criticisms were several years ago. Kyrgios’ attention has now turned to Jannik Sinner, who he has lambasted many times since the Italian tested positive for the banned substance clostebol.

The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up promised to show Sinner no respect if he played him at the 2025 Australian Open, where Kyrgios will make his first Grand Slam appearance since the 2022 US Open.

Kyrgios has changed his tune about Nadal in recent years and expressed sadness when the 38-year-old announced he would retire at the Davis Cup Finals. The pair had some great battles, including intense Wimbledon matches in 2014 and 2019.

In an appearance on the Nothing Major Podcast, Kyrgios recounted how much he disliked Nadal. The Australian felt hatred for him in a way he never did towards Federer and Djokovic.

“I couldn’t stand him. I used to hate and despise him so much when I saw him walking around. He was one guy who always motivated me. If I played him I would get up for it and try and get the best tennis I could possibly play. I didn’t feel that anger towards Federer or Novak when I played them.”

“If I played Rafa, because everyone in our academies back home idolized him, they were like: ‘he is such a hard worker, he’s this and that.’ I was like ‘I can’t stand this guy’. I wanted to show people you could just have fun and be chilled and beat people like that.”

Nadal’s significantly more successful career meant he was probably too busy focusing on players challenging him for Grand Slams to think much about Kyrgios, who hopes to win a major title before he retires.