Wimbledon 2022: Nick Kyrgios cops another fine for fiery clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas

Nick Kyrgios has been labelled a cheat and accused of dragging tennis to “the lowest level” in a stunning spray by a fellow Australian.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates winning against Stefanos Tsitsipas

Nick Kyrgios has been labelled a cheat and accused of dragging tennis to “the lowest level” in a stunning spray by a fellow Australian.

After watching Kyrgios’s tempestuous third round victory over Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas, Pat Cash launched a scathing attack on the controversial Aussie for the circus he creates.

At one stage during his four-set victory, Kyrgios refused to play and called for Tsitsipas to be defaulted from the tournament after he backhanded a ball into the crowd.

He also laid into chair umpire Damien Dumusois calling him dumb and a disgrace.

“The amount of sh** the tournament will get after this press conference is insane … people want to see me, not you,” Kyrgios barked at the official.

It’s not the first time this tournament Kyrgios has been called out for his on-court demeanour having already copped a $10,000 fine for spitting towards people in the crowd during his opening round clash with Paul Jubb.

Cash is disgusted in his compatriot.

“It was absolute mayhem,” Cash told the BBC. “He’s brought tennis to the lowest level I can see as far as gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behaviour to umpires, to linesmen.

“He was lucky to even get through the first set, he should have been defaulted in the first set. Something’s got to be done about it, it’s just an absolute circus.

“Is it entertaining? Yeah, possibly. It’s gone to the absolute limit now.”

Asked to explain how Kyrgios was cheating, Cash added: “Tsitsipas would make a line call and he’d go up there and start complaining, he’d be in his face — that’s part of gamesmanship, that’s the sort of stuff he does and I think there’s a limit.

“I have no problems with a bit of gamesmanship but when it gets to that level, I think it’s just out of control.

“As it was, the umpire lost control. The ball kids were running across the court as Kyrgios was serving, he didn’t slow down for any of that stuff.

“Tsitsipas got sucked right into it, so it was entertaining and fascinating, but for me it’s gone too far now.”

KYRGIOS’ DAD SLAMS DOUBLE STANDARDS AS STAR DUO FINED

Kyrgios’s father has slammed Wimbledon’s doubles standards in the wake of his son’s third round victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The clash made headlines around the world for both the controversial moments on court and the exchange of insults in the press room afterwards.

But it was one incident involving the Greek star that left Giorgos Kyrgios fuming.

After losing the second set, Tisitsipas backhanded a ball into the crowd in frustration. It narrowly avoided striking a fan.

Reacting to the incident, Kyrgios demanded his opponent be defaulted in line with what happened to Novak Djokovic at the 2020 US Open.

But Tsitsipas was allowed to play on.

“My son would have been defaulted,” Giorgos told the BBC.

“You’ve got to draw the line for everybody. I hate to see it for anyone. I feel sorry for all of them – the pressure is so much.”

Giorgos Kyrgios (R), father of tennis star Nick Kyrgios, has complained about the double standards on show at Wimbledon. Picture: Mark Stewart

It was one of many moments during the four set blockbuster which earned both players hefty fines.

Tsitsipas was slapped with a $10,000 sanction while the Australian was fined $4,000 for an audible obscenity.

Kyrgios won the stormy third-round clash, following which the pair exchanged insults in their post-match press conferences.

Tsitsipas called Kyrgios “a bully” and “evil” and the Australian firing back by saying the Greek was soft and sore loser.

Tsitsipas, speaking first, accused Kyrios of turning the contest into a circus by constantly berating the umpire to distract his opponent.

“This needs to stop. It’s not okay. Someone needs to sit down with him and talk,” Tsitsipas said.

“I’m not used to playing this way. I cannot just sit there, act like a robot and act like someone that is completely cold and ignorant.

“It really gets to your nerves because you’re out there doing your job, and you have noise coming from the other side of the court for no absolute reason.

“It’s constant bullying, that’s what he does. He bullies the opponents. He was probably a bully at school himself. I don’t like bullies. I don’t like people that put other people down.

“He has some good traits in his character, as well. But he also has a very evil side to him, which if it’s exposed, it can really do a lot of harm and bad to the people around him.”

Nick Kyrgios celebrates beating Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas

Kyrgios didn’t hold back when he fronted the fourth estate, blowing a fuse when he was told Tsitsipas had called him a bully.

“I’m not sure how I bullied him. He was the one hitting balls at me, he was the one that hit a spectator, he was the one that smacked it out of the stadium,” Kyrgios said.

“I didn’t do anything. Apart from me just going back and forth to the umpire for a bit, I did nothing towards Stefanos that was disrespectful, I don’t think. I was not drilling him with balls.”

Kyrgios repeated his belief that Tsitsipas should have been defaulted and said he only lashed out at him because he couldn’t beat him on the court.

“I would be pretty upset if I lost to someone two weeks in a row, as well. Maybe he should figure out how to beat me a couple more times first and then get to that,” he said.

“When I played Filip Krajinovic (in the second round), he didn’t hit a ball at a spectator.

“I was just wondering why he was still on the court. Because I know if the roles had been reversed, I would have been pulled off that court and defaulted.”

Kyrgios was also fined $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct during his first-round match.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia walks past Stefanos Tsitsipas

IN FRONT OF ROYALTY?

Kyrgios has finally been rewarded with a match on centre court at Wimbledon this year.

Whether the spectators come to see him win or to see him lose or just to see him blow his top, the fiery Australian has been one of the biggest crowd pullers at the All England club.

Officials have so far kept him away from the centre court - the most revered turf in tennis - but have relented for the start of week two.

His fourth round match against American Brandon Nakashima has been listed as the first match on court on Monday, starting around 22:30 AEST.

It is not known yet whether members of the British royal family will be in attendance at the Royal Box that overlooks the court.

Regardless, officials will be hoping Kyrgios is on his best behaviour after he spat at the crowd in his opening match then was embroiled in an ugly on and off court stoush with Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round.

Kyrios is the only one of the four Aussies in singles action on Monday playing on the main stadium.

Aussie battler Jason Kubler, who had 14 cents in his bank account a few years ago but has already pocketed over $337,000 at Wimbledon this past week, takes on American Taylor Fritz on court one.

Australia’s highest two ranked players are both on court two with Alex de Minaur tackling Chile’s Cristian Garin and Ajla Tomljanovic squaring off against Alize Cornet of France.

Originally published as Wimbledon 2022: Nick Kyrgios cops another fine for fiery clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas