"Rafa sorry for stopping practice today" - Stefan Kozlov apologizes to Rafael Nadal after Acapulco 1r win over Grigor Dimitrov

Lucky loser Stefan Kozlov scored one of the most memorable wins of his career after upsetting Grigor Dimitrov in the first round of the 2022 Mexican Open in Acapulco.

The American battled past cramps and a spirited fightback from the 2014 Acapulco champion to snatch a memorable 7-6(8), 5-7, 6-3 win. However, it was the lead-up to the match that the American is likely to remember for a long time.

Kozlov lost in the final round of qualifying and was out waterskiing when his waverunner crashed. He was left stranded at sea for nearly 20 minutes before being rescued.

Later, the American had to cut short his practice session with none other than Rafael Nadal, after news came through of him being awarded a last-minute lucky loser entry.

After his enthralling three-set win over Dimitrov, one of his best ranking-wise, Kozlov took a moment to reflect on the whirlwind tournament so far and the chain of events that have occurred since his loss in the qualifying rounds.

Kozlov chose to send out a message to Nadal while writing on the camera lens, offering an apology for having to end their practice session early.

"Rafa sorry for stopping practice today," Kozlov wrote on the camera lens after his win.

Stefan Kozlov could play Rafael Nadal next in Acapulco

Rafael Nadal with the 2020 Telcel ATP Mexican Open trophy.

Having beaten a former champion in his dramatic first-round match, Stefan Kozlov could well find himself playing against another former tournament winner on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old awaits the winner of the Rafael Nadal-Denis Kudla match, scheduled to be played later tonight. The encounter against Kudla will be the Spaniard's first competitive match since his title-winning run at the 2022 AustralIan Open.

Nadal, the fourth seed at this year's tournament, has landed in the top half of the draw alongside fellow Grand Slam champion and top seed Daniil Medvedev.

The Spaniard's quarter was packed with big names including the likes of Dimitrov, Matteo Berrettini and Sebastian Korda. But with underdogs such as Kozlov and Dusan Lajovic knocking out two of the three, the section has opened up.

Kozlov himself is a former junior Grand Slam champion, having lifted the Wimbledon boys' singles crown back in 2014. A wild start to his 2022 Mexican Open campaign could well be the impetus he needs to make his breakthrough on the senior circuit.