Nick Kyrgios and Gilles Simon mock Rafael Nadal during Australian Open battle
Nick Kyrgios and Gilles Simon both laughed at Rafael Nadal's expense during their Australian Open clash.
Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios and Gilles Simon mock Nadal
Nick Kyrgios mimicked Rafael Nadal after being handed a time violation during his Australian Open clash with Gilles Simon.
The Frenchman then followed suit and did the exact same expression - drawing fits of laughter from his Australian opponent.
The carnival atmosphere which follows Kyrgios on Melbourne Arena was in full swing as the two tennis stars trolled the world No 1.
Kyrgios was hit with a violation by the umpire for taking too long to serve and he then mocked a regular Nadal gesture by pretending to wipe his hair from his face and then pulling out a wedgie from his shorts.
The action drew a huge laugh from all inside Melbourne Park's third biggest stadium - including the referee.
But the decibels hit a higher level in the third set when Simon - 6-2, 6-4, 2-0 down - pretended to pull his own wedgie out of his shorts.
Kyrgios was hysterical in a jibe which will surely only intensify his bitter rivalry with Nadal.
The pair can meet in the Australian Open fourth round for the first time since their heated Wimbledon clash last summer.
Their bitter rivalry started last year when Nadal slammed Kyrgios for using an underarm serve during their showdown at the Mexican Open.
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Kyrgios then responded during an interview with the No Challenges Remaining podcast where he did not hold back his thoughts.
"He’s my polar opposite, like literally my polar opposite," Kyrgios said. "And he’s super salty.
"Every time I’ve beaten him... when he wins, it’s fine. He won’t say anything bad, he’ll credit the opponent, ‘He was a great player’.
"But as soon as I beat him, it’s just like, ‘He has no respect for me, my fans and no respect to the game’."
Kyrgios and Nadal also met in a heated tie at Wimbledon last summer in which the former admitted to purposely lashing a ferocious forehand at his opponent's chest.
Nadal blasted the action as 'dangerous' but there was no apology.
"Why would I apologise?" Kyrgios said. "I mean, the dude has got how many Slams, how much money in the bank account? I think he can take a ball to the chest, bro.
"I'm not going to apologise to him at all."