Australian Open 2022: Nick Kyrgios says Michael Venus’ comments are irrelevant and critiques his ‘Halloween’ outfit
Nick Kyrgios has had another crack at Michael Venus as their feud continues, taking aim at the Kiwi’s dress sense. And it had his doubles partner and the host in stitches.
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It’s fair to say Nick Kyrgios isn’t too fond of Michael Venus, and this time the New Zealander’s dress sense was in the firing line.
Kyrgios had doubles partner and close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis and host Karl Stefanovic in stiches after saying Venus’ outfit was better suited to Trick-or-Treating than tennis.
The Aussie firebrand declared that the Special Ks emphatic Australian Open doubles triumph has made Venus’ comments, where he labelled Kyrgios as an “absolute k**b” and said he had the maturity of a 10-year-old, look irrelevant.
Kyrgios had previously said he “didn’t want to destroy Venus”, who the Special Ks defeated along with partner Tim Putz in a tense quarter-final clash at Kia Arena.
“I don’t even think any sort of comment that came out of Venus’s mouth is relevant,” Kyrgios said on The Today Show.
“He was firstly dressed in something that I would wear to a Halloween party.
“I feel like that is the energy we wanted. We wanted the fact that me and Thanasi have now made Michael Venus’s comments irrelevant, I think that’s great.”
Kokkinakis added that those who criticised the exciting pair “just look bitter now.”
“I am p***ing myself over here. I don’t know if you can see this,” Kokkinakis laughed.
“I don’t know I feel like we had a target on our back from the start, given that we beat the number one seeds. Then Venus after that I think that it was blown out of proportion and we were trying to hype up the crowd and have fun.
“Anyone who looks at it now just looks bitter now, don’t they.”
Kyrgios said Venus will never play in a more packed arena and that he will “tell his kids” about their raucous quarter-final in the future.
“What I don’t understand that was like the best atmosphere Michael Venus will ever play in,” he said.
“He has a kid. He will tell his kids about it. I don’t know why he is trying to be sulky.”
Asked by Stefanovic to tell viewers how he really felt about Venus, Kyrgios bit his tongue — something we generally aren’t used to from the 26-year-old.
“Like, I don’t know. Karl, stop,” he chuckled.
Shock twist in Kyrgios spat as rival takes aim
Nick Kyrgios has lashed claims he disrespected Ash Barty, giving a proverbial middle finger to media outlets who suggested his post-Australian Open doubles title comments were a dig at the women’s champion.
The rejuvenated star who rocked Melbourne Park as part of the Special Ks doubles team with mate Thanasi Kokkinakis said Barty’s dad Robert told him the crowd produced “the best atmosphere” ever at the Open.”
RECAP THE SPECIAL KS’ INCREDIBLE DOUBLES WIN HERE
“Obviously Ash is a hell of a player, but I think the ratings speak for themselves,” Kyrgios said.
Some media seized on this as a slight on Barty.
But Kyrgios, in no uncertain terms on Instagram, slammed the interpretation.
“F**k you media, honestly, I said nothing disrespectful to @ashbarty,” Kyrgios wrote on his Insta story.
“I said that the crowd this year was amazing and I feel as if @The_Kokk1 & I were a big part of that.
“Ash’s father came to me and even said that.
“All I said was that when people watch me around the world, the stadiums are full.
“I grew up with Ash & always knew her potential.”
Aussie doubles finalist Max Purcell, who was also the subject of the post, joined Kyrgios in criticising the media for twisting his words, which he believes is what led to the spat.
Kyrgios didn’t miss beaten doubles final Purcell, slamming the fellow Aussie after he doubled down on his own social media rant about the firebrand’s “disrespect”.
“The way those boys are acting is extremely disrespectful to their opponents,” Purcell, 23, wrote on Instagram, before following up in his interview with: “It was great for ticket sales here, but I’m not so sure how it was taken overseas. If you’re watching some of Nick and Thanasi’s matches earlier in the week and you’re overseas, maybe you get turned off tennis a little bit.”
Kyrgios branded the 23-year-old a “donut” and urged him to focus on his own game, rather than slandering his compatriots.
“As for @MaxPurcell you donut,” he wrote.
“Regarding your comments after the match you clearly have no idea about entertainment & sport.
“If you haven’t noticed, there is a reason why people actually come to my matches.
“It’s because the level & my game are actually worth watching.
“Next time you lose another slam final, you should just put your head down and try to figure out how to play the big points better.
“No need to slate other Aussies in the media cuz (sic) people would rather watch paint dry than your S&V game style.”
Purcell said the apparent misinterpretation of his words was a “thing that I hate” and assured tennis fans that he has nothing against Kyrgios or Thanasi Kokkinakis.
“Last night I woke up to a thing that I hate, but I mean that’s what the press do right? They just twist my quote and aim it at him and he just blows up at me – it is what it is,” Purcell said on 107.7 Triple M Breakfast with Paddy & Rob Palmer.
“They were bringing a lot to the sport so I cant take anything away from that. They are exciting to watch and playing against but some of the crowd that they were bringing weren’t quite respectful enough of their opponents.
“I’ve got nothing against (the Special Ks) – when me and Matty are playing, we are trying to get the crowd involved.
“It’s promotion for the sport and doubles isn’t exactly huge out there, so the more coverage we’ve got, the better.
“It would have been nice to see the crowd be a little more respectful.”
Purcell slams Special Ks
—Sam Landsberger
The simmering feud between the Special Ks and the M&Ms has erupted, with the Australian Open doubles champions accused of turning overseas fans against the sport.
Ash Barty’s dad Robert told Nick Kyrgios the crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night was the best he has witnessed, but youngster Max Purcell fired verbal bullets at the tournament’s surprise superstars for the second time this week.
Thanasi Kokkinakis urged fans to: “Sink piss and come here, the rowdier the better” as he and Kyrgios stormed past seeded pairs on their way to slam glory.
Kyrgios declared their doubles storm had delivered Tennis Australia the greatest atmosphere in Australian Open history.
But Purcell, who pleaded with the umpire for a ‘let’ call after boozy fans interrupted his first serve during the thrilling final, said such boorish behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated anywhere else in the world.
“It was great for ticket sales here, but I’m not so sure how it was taken overseas,” Purcell said.
“If you’re watching some of Nick and Thanasi’s matches earlier in the week and you’re overseas, maybe you get turned off tennis a little bit.”
Kokkinakis lifted the lid on the spice between the chalk-and-cheese Aussies when asked about Purcell’s partner, Matt Ebden, complimenting their power serving and unplayable singles style in the doubles decider.
“I read we were disrespecting our opponents,” Kokkinakis fired back.
Purcell unloaded on the Special Ks earlier in the week with a social media post that angered their compatriots.
“The way those boys are acting is extremely disrespectful to their opponents,” the 23-year-old Sydneysider said.
“I’m playing with good sportsmanship and having a good time. Not having the crowd yell profanity at my opponents and purposely distracting them in between points.”
Kyrgios returned serve with as much venom as the 200km thunderbolts that helped deliver the best mates a slice of history nine years after they won the junior Wimbledon doubles title.
“I would say that we’ve created probably the best atmosphere this tournament has ever seen,” he said.
“Ash’s father came to us and said the crowd was the best he’s ever seen.
“The ratings speak for themselves. People watch my matches, everywhere I play around the world the stadiums are full for that reason.
“I don’t think those people that are screaming out during points is produced from us.
“That’s got nothing to do with us. But there’s a reason why the ratings are the way they are and people are glued to the TV when we play.
“Speaks for itself, really.”
Three fans were ejected from centre court after Purcell’s serve was affected when he was serving to stay in the slam.
While the raucous crowds dominated headlines, behind the scenes Kyrgios cut a more professional figure after cutting the bad influences out of his tight-knit circle who used to “take advantage of me”.
The freakish talent woke up at 7.30am every morning, practised at 8.30am and then jumped in an ice bath – squeezing in a helicopter ride to a winery after that on the eve of the final.
The Special Ks blew Purcell and Ebden away by effectively playing half-court singles.
“Shows you don’t have to serve and volley for all those purists out there,” Kokkinakis, who missed just one ball in the 7-5 6-4 victory, said.
Ebden admitted they were blown away despite doing little wrong, but said to bring on a rematch … or 10.
“They executed rocket serves, great returns and were roping balls from the baseline,” he said.
“Most people who play that style against us I think we have covered, but they just did it slightly too big and too strong.
“I’d like to play them 10 times, I’m sure we’re going to win quite a lot of times, especially maybe in slightly different conditions.”
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