‘He doesn’t understand’: Kyrgios slams $37m tennis star’s refusal to help lower-ranked players

Nick Kyrgios has taken aim at Dominic Thiem for refusing to give up money to help lower-ranked players through the coronavirus pandemic.

Nick Kyrgios has fired back at Dominic Thiem’s complaints around giving up money to help other struggling lower-ranked players. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

Nick Kyrgios has taken aim at Dominic Thiem for refusing to give up money to help lower-ranked players through the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposal put forward by Novak Djokovic planned to have top players donate to those who don’t earn big dollars while on tour.

The system Djokovic was working towards would have seen the top five players donate $US30,000 each all the way down to those ranked 51 to 100, who would give up $US5,000.

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Dominic Thiem is against donating. Picture: Mark Stewart

Thiem, a top-five ranked player who has made $37.4 million in prize money over the course of his career, fired back at the plan claiming if he is donating money it will be to people who actually need it.

“None of the lower-ranked players have to fight for their lives,” Thiem told Austria’s Krone Sport, in quotes translated by Twitter user @ZahrerLukas.

“I’ve seen players on the ITF-Tour who don’t commit to the sport 100 per cent. Many of them are quite unprofessional. I don’t see, why I should give them money.”

That has angered Kyrgios, who took to Instagram to criticise Thiem’s stance.

“He still doesn’t understand the point. We at the top get paid far too much and there is not enough to go around,” he said.

Nick Kyrgios speaks with John McEnroe about bushfire relief. Picture: Mark Stewart

“It’s about helping where we can, professional or unprofessional, put yourself in their shoes.”

The Aussie tennis star knows all too well the importance of supporting those who are struggling.

Kyrgios has offered to personally deliver food and essential items to anyone who reaches out to him on social media while he also led the Aces for Bushfire Relief initiative during Australia’s summer of tennis.

Germany's Dustin Brown says coronavirus would have ruined his career when he started out. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK

World number 239 Dustin Brown also spoke of the harsh reality of being a lower-ranked player and how the coronavirus would have crushed his dreams in the early stages of his career.

“Startin (sic) in 2004 I lived in a camper, surviving from week to week with the money I made,” he wrote on Twitter.

“If this would happend (sic) then, it would have cost me my career!!”

Originally published as ‘He doesn’t understand’: Kyrgios slams $37m tennis star’s refusal to help lower-ranked players