Nick Kyrgios blows up after incident-packed day at Queen’s that ended in second-round defeat
Nick Kyrgios genuinely believes he is being persecuted by umpires. Problem is, like John McEnroe, he doesn’t know how to channel his anger and it’s a sad state of affairs.
Tennis
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There has not been a more paranoid figure in top flight tennis since John McEnroe than Nick Kyrgios.
For all his brilliance, and achievements, McEnroe was convinced authorities — including robots — were out to get him.
Addressing the outmoded Cyclops calling machine, McEnroe claimed the one-eyed apparatuses knew who he was.
McEnroe, of course, was indulging nothing more than the massive chip on his shoulder.
As winner of seven majors, stints at world No 1 in singles and doubles, McEnroe was consumed with suspicion for reasons only known to him.
By the time the New Yorker’s once glistening career petered out in a haze of self-destructive and pathetic angst, McEnroe was a pale shadow of player he once was.
Fast forward three decades and Kyrgios is convinced officials, including chair umpires and linespeople, are out to destroy him.
Like McEnroe, he is delusional.
Like McEnroe, he is more closely monitored than any of his peers because of a chequered history of misbehaviour.
Some of the attention if unwarranted.
Both Kyrgios and umpires know confrontation is a matter of when, not if.
McEnroe despised umpires. Kyrgios harbours a similar disdain towards officialdom.
At Queen’s Club, site of several McEnroe tantrums, Kyrgios claimed umpires regularly get basic calls wrong.
In his mind, he is victim more often than beneficiary.
Perspective in professional tennis is a 360-degree beast. Self-interest rules.
Kyrgios genuinely believes he is being persecuted.
Problem is, like McEnroe, he draws attention because of his brooding on-court excesses.
On Thursday, Kyrgios was extraordinary, eccentric, untouchable, vile and inexcusably wasteful.
Sometimes in the same game.
Tennis is crammed with extreme personalities. No player in the sport spends more time in the margins than Kyrgios.
He is box office from head to toe. He is also paranoid.
Unlike McEnroe, he is yet to — or might never — win majors.
For all the mayhem of the latter stages of his decorated career, McEnroe was a master of using distraction and brinkmanship to advantage.
Kyrgios is capable of anything on a tennis court. Good and bad.
Whatever the validity of his views about umpiring competence, he also knows officials never change their minds.
Abusing them, achieves nothing. Kyrgios knows that.
McEnroe and Kyrgios are eerily similar.
The key difference is McEnroe found a way to channel anger.
And paranoia. He fulfilled potential.
At 24, unless he changes, Kyrgios will never fulfil his potential.
ON COURT MELTDOWN
Leo Schlink in London
Nick Kyrgios has demanded umpires be fined and replaced for poor performances after twice copping code violations and clashing with spectators in an explosive start to the British grasscourt season.
Speaking after slipping to Fever-Tree Championships second-round defeat, Kyrgios proved his fury against officials - and spectators - was genuine with an interview room barrage.
Booed off court after exiting 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 Felix Auger-Aliassime, Kyrgios was unrepentant over his behavior, defending his right to protest.
“They (officials) know I’m never going to be the type of guy that’s going to get a bad call and not let them hear about it,” he said.
“I just don’t think they get punished enough, like sanctioned enough if they make a bad decision.
“If you’re sitting in the chair and not calling it, you’re not doing your job correctly.
“I thought some of the calls were outrageous today. It shouldn’t have to come down to me and Felix giving each other points. He gave me a point at a pretty crucial time, and I gave him a point at a pretty crucial time.
“I just don’t think, at this level of sport, that we should have line judges and umpires that aren’t making the right decisions.
“And I know what happens. Nothing happens. They get a little slap on the wrist.
“They don’t get any warning or fine or anything for their mistakes. So what’s the difference?
“For me doing a code violation, why can’t they get fined for having a terrible day in the chair?
“Like, there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line. It’s not a joke.
“They just think it’s a joke because nothing happens to them after the match. They don’t get any investigation or anything.
“I think it’s ridiculous. Like, why not have another umpire ready to come in if that guy’s having a terrible day?”
Bickering constantly with umpires during two matches – a win against Roberto Carballes Baena and defeat to Auger-Aliassime – Kyrgios received warnings for unsportsmanlike behavior and ball abuse.
Enraged by a line call as Carballes Baena served to save the first set at 4-5 (30-40), Kyrgios targeted Irish umpire Fergus Murphy.
“Bro you are taking the f****** p*** mate?” Kyrgios bellowed before threatening not to continue, eventually advancing to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 first-round win.
“The ball was this far out, no joke. What are you doing? It’s so far long.
“Like, what are you actually doing up there? It was this far out. Bro, it’s taking the p***. I refuse to play.
“What are you doing? Jesus. Was that not out, the second serve? It’s a joke, man. It’s a serious joke.
“Like, your hat looks ridiculous, also. It’s not even sunny.”
“The ball was this far out on the second serve. I’m going. I’m not going to give 100 per cent when I’ve got linesmen rigging the game, I don’t want to play.
“You wonder why I don’t try half the time. Literally the set had finished, he double-faulted. Why am I playing at 5-5? Absolute joke.”
Kyrgios was clearly animated from the outset, but made it obvious his pre-match preparation was far from elite.
“Shouldn’t have had that burger and fries last night,” he muttered to himself.
“They’re sticking in my stomach.
“I feel so heavy.
“So lazy, do something, so lazy you are.
“You were playing FIFA until 3am, what do you expect?”
In a bizarre twist, he spent some of the changeovers peering over the court dividers to watch Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson, rather than sitting down.
His second-round featured a ball clubbed high out of the grounds, berating a photographer and a profane exchange with spectators after falling late in the match.
“I’m playing my heart out, and I’ve got to deal with idiot umpires and idiots in the crowd. What do you want from me, dude,” he said.
“Some of the stuff they say to me, is that okay?
“Of course I’m going to go back at them. I’m not the type of guy that’s going to walk away from that.”
Kyrgios was fined $85,000 for throwing a chair while being defaulted at the Italian Open last month.
Originally published as Nick Kyrgios blows up after incident-packed day at Queen’s that ended in second-round defeat
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