WIMBLEDON, England — Rafael Nadal was up near the Centre Court net when Nick Kyrgios smacked a booming forehand directly at the Spaniard’s midsection — right at him, on purpose — and earned a lengthy staredown in return.

Kyrgios didn’t apologize, at the time or at his news conference — for that or for berating the chair umpire or for spending time at a local pub the night before the match.

Rarely does Kyrgios offer regrets for anything. He tends to double down. He is nothing if not fascinating. He is talented, too. And yet it was Nadal who emerged from all of the tumult Thursday at Wimbledon to beat Kyrgios 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) in a second-round match boasting plenty of dramatics, a dose of animosity and delightful play by both men.

Kyrgios is capable of being as entertaining and befuddling a player as there is and showed why throughout this 3-hour-plus contest that overshadowed everything else going on around the grass-court Grand Slam tournament on Day 4.

Defending champion Angelique Kerber was upset by Lauren Davis. Seven-time champion Serena Williams needed a comeback to win in three sets against an 18-year-old qualifier. Marcos Baghdatis, the 2006 Australian Open runner-up and a fan favorite, played what he says will be the last match of his career.