Since bursting onto the scene a number of years ago Nick Kyrgios has rarely stayed away from controversy for long: in fact, he has achieved the impossible and largely taken the heat off Bernard Tomic.
Nick’s behaviour since coming on tour has been horrendous.
Continually he has berated umpires, sworn and smashed racquets, showed disrespect to his opponent and seems to have tanked against multiple opponents.
Despite this, he has been continually forgiven by the Australian public and media.
His worst controversy was in 2015 when playing against Switzerland’s Stam Wawrinka, in front of the camera and microphone Nick said audibly: “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that mate.”
Kyrgios was referring to Wawrinka’s girlfriend, then 19-year-old Donna Vekic.
This despicable behaviour was roundly condemned by both Australian and international media.
However, like with all of Kyrgios’ previous controversies, the Australian public and media soon forgot.
Kyrgios even had the audacity to be offended when Kitty Chiller put him on notice for his poor behaviour before the Olympics, asking him to justify why he should be allowed to represent Australia given his behaviour.
Large segments of the Australian public and media were horrified at Chiller’s actions.
In Wimbledon 2015 when playing against France’s Richard Gasquet, Kyrgios looked to have ‘tanked’ (lost on purpose) on multiple points where he did not even try to return Gasquet’s serve.
Last night, playing in the Shanghai Masters against Mischa Zverev, Kyrgios tanked again. At one point he even hit a pathetic serve worthy of a five-year-old and walked off the court before Zverev had even hit his return.
Tanking is against the rules in tennis, for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the fact that the fans pay money to attend the sport, and expect to witness a proper match. Secondly, as an individual sport tanking opens up the sport to corrupt gambling practices.
My question is, when is enough enough? When will the Australian public and media stop forgiving Kyrgios his despicable behaviour?
As long as Australia keeps forgiving Nick his constant indiscretions he, and others like him, have no incentive to change their ways and to represent Australia wall.
Is it really so important to have a winner that we will tolerate a player who is not only a disgrace to tennis, but a disgrace to Australia?
Juzz
Guest
So which is it? He should be investigated for gambling for corruption or checked into a psych hospital. Could it be that its just been a long year, travelling overseas in a new country every week or two, suffering jet lag with very few friends and support and expected to play at your very best week in week out. He has just won another ATP tournament against good opponents so perhaps he was mentally drained. its hypocritical for everyone to make comments considering none of us are professional tennis players on the circuit but then judge him because he is. If your going to pick on Nick, pick on every player who has given up, thrown a tantrum or been a goose. You would be naming half the players on the WTA and ATP. I guess its just easier to pick on one target.
geoff
Guest
He's got a mental illness, no doubt about it. Possibly due to his upbringing but absolutely compounded by someone putting the idea in his head that he's bigger than the sport he plays. He's a slightly better than average pro tennis player. Act like it, or prove his detractors wrong.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Murray has offered to mentor him and hinted at mental health issues. Here is the link. There is also another article in the Guardian on a similar note. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3837068/Andy-Murray-offers-help-bad-boy-Nick-Kyrgios-Novak-Djokovic-urges-Australian-not-waste-great-talent.html
Samuel Laffy
Roar Guru
Gotta love it don't you - Nick goes and plays a few dozen tournaments that aren't a Grand Slam (the only time most people care about tennis), wins a few of them, and reaches a career-high ranking, yet no-one wrote/talked about it because it was boring when he wasn't being controversial. But don't worry folks, we've got something else to complain about again now, so it's OK - rant and rave away. I've got a conspiracy theory that Tennis Australia pays him a bonus every October/November so that they can start putting tennis back on the news in the lead-up to the Australian Open.....
TC123
Guest
And that there is the problem. While he's capable of winning big tournaments, his behaviour is tolerated
ballychook
Guest
He won a tournament last week (his 3rd for the year I think) and has just risen to no. 14 in the world rankings. He may well have issues, but they haven't entirely held him back this year.
Mango Jack
Guest
Agree Freddy, I'd rather see Groth and some youngster with the right attitude go down with dignity than these blokes bringing nothing but shame.
Kiwi in WA
Guest
He should feel very lucky he is not being investigated for sports gambling and corruption. As a duty of care he should have a break from the game to get his mental health sorted out. Perhaps then he can go away and decide if he wants to be a professional Tennis player or not.
jamesb
Guest
I think he might have serious mental health issues. His behaviour is not normal. I don't think he can handle the pressure and expectations on court. And if he does have any mental instability, then playing professional tennis is probably not the right environment for his well being. It's very easy to label Kyrios pathetic, but maybe there is something wrong.
matth
Guest
I'm actually concerned for him. There could well be some underlying mental or emotional issue here, as his behaviour is not logical or consistent.
Freddy from Bondi
Guest
Agree totally. Cut all funding and don't allow him to play for Australia. He should never walk on a Davis Cup court again. I'd rather we never win the Davis Cup again with blokes we're proud to have representing us, rather than have these two knobs (who are yet to achieve anything of substance) flying the flag. Seriously, enough is enough. Cut them loose. No funding, don't provide any training facilities, no endorsements....nothing.
Tatah
Guest
Originally I thought he must be suspended as nobody in their right mind would spend money to watch this guy if there is a fair chance he wouldn't even try. However I'm plagiarising another article just read that suggests he should be suspended, and taken for mental health treatment and counselling. His behaviour is so bad that it may be a reflection of health issues and not just petulance. Either way he needs to be removed from the tournament for tennis's credibility.
Mango Jack
Guest
He should be instantly DQed for this. Thrown out of the tournament and banned for a period. He says he doesn't owe fans anything, but who does he think pays his match fees and prize money? The rest should be turned off as well, by sponsors withdrawing support. I couldn't care less if this prat wants to stuff up his career and throw away his undeniable talent. Just don't ever represent Australia anywhere, anytime.
ballychook
Guest
His performance in the post-match press conference matched his effort on the court - pathetic. He needs to be banned for a period of time but I don't think the authorities will have the guts to do that.
rakshop
Roar Rookie
I for months if not years have been trying to defend Kygirous. Sure, he wasn’t the classiest player on the circuit and has some petulance about him, but I argued there is a place in sport for a villain. Many people argue that Kygirous wasn’t a villain but trying to fit the ‘stereotypical’ basketball lifestyle. Being a big fan of the NBA, I can see some similarities. But Kyrious doesn’t have the swagger, nor the pull of a large audience that goes with the NBA. In the NBA players who have the cockiness and ego to match play a much physical sport, with an opportunity to get in the face of the opposition every second night. They use that to their advantage. Tennis might play every second night, but it doesn’t have the physical intensity, nor combativeness of basketball, and at least of all, it doesn’t have the trash talk. I personally don’t buy the basketball comparison. Rather. I would argue that Kyrgios has been typecast as a villain, and rather than objectify this and change his character like many former tennis brats have done so before (remember Djokovic in his early days didn’t endear himself to fans, Hewitt was a brat), he has embraced it to its fullest extent. And I don’t think it was a bad thing, despite all the media hype, because sometimes sport needs a villain. And the best villains are ones that endear themselves to become so. Don’t believe me. Google a guy called “Floyd Mayweather”. All Kyrgios needed was the talent to back that up, and I always thought he was halfway to showing the world how much talent he had. So rather than criticise Kyrgios, I defended him. Until today……. There is a difference between acting like a petulant twat, say like Anthony Mundine, and giving it all in the sport that you are competing. Like it or loath it, you have to admit that Anthony Mundine is a good boxer. And the chances that he would give up mid fight is about…… zero. Ditto Floyd Mayweather. How about Michael Ennis????? Most people think he is a grub, but do you think he would ever stop mid match because he didn’t want to play????? John McEnroe in tennis, Allen Iverson in basketball, Ben Cousins AFL, people who played up the villain stereotype, and yet would never deliberately tank. Why…. Because people pay hard earned cash to see these villains. You cant play a villain if people stop paying to watch you play. By giving up Kyrgios wasn’t a villain, he became a fraud. Because people paid their hard earned cash to watch the villain in action. And he didn’t even do that. So Kyrgios, I am not going to defend you any longer, because as far as I am concerned you are nothing more than a low life con artist, whose ego is so full of himself that even be bothered to masquerade as the character he so desperately want to be. Kyrgios, you are a fraud…… And I hope the tennis authorities treat you like one!
spoiltbrat.
Guest
IM a proud Australian & a tennis fan. BUT Nick Kyrious-The spoilt brat of this generations tennis talent. Tall poppy sydrome,the bigger they are the harder they fall. Shame some one put him on a pedestral....He has tennis talent, BUT his arrogance is just boring. Shows his lack of respect, what a poor example to my kids, and to younger tennis generation . MONEY & fame cant buy CLASS !!!!