We’ve seen the future of Australian tennis, and his name is Nick Kyrgios.

While most of his country was sleeping, Australia’s next great tennis hope strode onto the biggest stage in the sport and delivered the most brilliant performance of his young career.

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It was more Metallica than Mozart, with blunt force in abundant supply, and at the end of the day Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, was rendered impotent by a teenager from Canberra with the world at his feet.

Nadal threw everything at his younger opponent. Photo: Getty

Kyrgios, 19, defeated the world number one 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in three hours to book a Wimbledon quarter-final against Canada’s Milos Raonic.

When it came time to serve for it, there were no nerves, no tightness – he just stood and delivered like a western gunslinger.

When Mike Tyson was 20 he knocked out Trevor Berbick to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

As Berbick flopped around the canvas, Barry Tompkins’ commentary was brilliant in its summation: “That’s all, and we have a new era in boxing.”

Tennis should be feeling the same way about Kyrgios and, like a young Tyson, he has plenty of power in his hands.

After enduring Angelique Kerber’s win over Maria Sharapova which lasted almost three hours, Kyrgios finally got on centre court just before 4pm local time (1am AEST) adorned by his customary pink headphones, licking his lips.

Nadal was a few yards behind him, his two bags giving him the air of a jumpy porter at a fancy hotel.

If Kyrgios was nervous it wasn’t showing – a pair of aces in the first game saw him hold to love.

The Canberran serves like a typical 19-year-old – as if he’s got somewhere else he’d rather be – and that serve gave Nadal fits in the first set.

It was the youngster who brought about the first break-point of the match, in the sixth game of the opening set, and Kyrgios went for it in style – his bludgeoned, down-the-line backhand missing by millimetres.

He had another chance in the eighth game, again showing his attacking intent by stepping into a short second serve, but it sailed wide.

The Australian had set-point on the Nadal serve at 6-5, unsuccessfully challenging a call on the baseline that missed by a whisker.

Kyrgios got out to a 4-0 lead in the tie-break, and finally took it 7-5 with an ace, his 13th of the set.

Kyrgios shows some frustration. Photo: Getty

The first signs of a slight drop in Kyrgios’ serve became apparent early in the second, taken to deuce for the first time in the sixth game.

The Spaniard was beginning to impose his formidable will on the match, although Kyrgios still managed to produce a stunning between-the-legs winner to delight the crowd. (See a video below of his “shot of the year”.)

Kyrgios regrouped for the start of the third, but as the set wore on the cracks – mental and physical – appeared to deepen. More than two hours of hanging with Nadal will do that to a man.

Three unforced errors in the 12th game of the second set gave Nadal his first break-point of the match, to which Kyrgios responded with a thunderous ace.

But, as they say, if you come at the king you best not miss. Another skewed forehand gave the Spaniard a second bite – and this time he took it to square the match.

Kyrgios regrouped for the start of the third, but as the set wore on, the cracks – mental and physical – appeared to deepen. More than two hours of hanging with Nadal will do that to a man.

The third went to a tie-break, and despite Nadal having all the momentum, it turned into a street fight as both men traded hammer blows.

Kyrgios dug deep and prevailed 7-5 to go ahead, the Australian raising his hands to the sky in triumph.

The success energised Kyrgios. He looked to have more spring in his step to start the fourth.

A brilliant forehand winner and two scorching cross-court backhands helped Kyrgios bring up a break-point to go up 3-1, and he took it with more brute force.

When it came time to serve for it, there were no nerves, no tightness – he just stood and delivered like a western gunslinger.

He finished as he began, with an ace and holding to love.

For all the adulation he’s sure to receive, Kyrgios would do well to remember the ballad of Bernard Tomic, who stormed into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon three years ago amid much fanfare and took a set off eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Although there are still some verses to be written in that song, since then Tomic has been on the road to nowhere in that bright yellow Ferrari of his.

You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t have the engine, can’t maintain that drive – you’re just another kid with a Nike endorsement.

But for now, strap yourself in – Australian tennis just got very, very exciting.