Karl Stefanovic loses it over Nick Kyrgios sledge: ‘We love our knobs’
It should come as no surprise that Karl Stefanovic was ready with some risque quips after a rival accused Nick Kyrgios of being a “knob”.
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Channel 9 presenter Karl Stefanovic struggled to keep his composure while discussing a New Zealand tennis star’s blunt sledge for Australian tennis showman Nick Kyrgios.
Kiwi doubles player Michael Venus lashed out at Kyrgios on live TV after he and playing partner Tim Puetz were beaten in the quarter-final of the men’s doubles in front of a raucous crowd at Melbourne Park.
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Venus didn’t mince his words while speaking to TVNZ on Wednesday, calling Kyrgios “an absolute knob”.
“You see why he’s never fulfilled his potential and probably never will,” Venus said.
“His maturity level, it’s probably being generous to about a 10-year-old, it’s at about that level.”
Stefanovic unpacked the remarks with his Today co-hosts on Thursday morning, as the 47-year-old couldn’t resist poking fun at the New Zealander.
“The Kiwis have fired up this morning,” Stefanovic said.
“Michael Venus, after knocked out of the doubles by Nick Kyrgios, he’s gone nuclear.”
Today co-host Allison Langdon quipped: “We as Australians can call Nick a knob if we want to, but the Kiwis can’t.
Stefanovic responded with a laugh: “He’s our knob!”
Media personality Michelle Stephenson continued: “I like Nick, he is putting into the tennis what we had in the ‘80s and ‘90s. It used to be all about the show. Let’s put a bit of the show back.
“He doesn’t take himself as serious as people expect him to be, and I kind of enjoy that. Look, his tennis has improved immensely. He has grown up in front of our eyes. The Kyrgios from five years ago, that was a train wreck. So I think what we are seeing now is a showman and he’s kicking goals and I think maybe someone is a little upset they didn’t win.”
Stefanovic responded: “There are plenty of knobs in New Zealand as well, right?”
Stephenson said: “We’re supporting all our jobs.”
Stefanovic cackled: “Yeah, we love our knobs!”
Sports presenter Tony Jones, who has been covering the Australian Open from Melbourne Park this week, told Today: “I just think it’s OK if we want to call him a knob and the maturity of a 10-year-old, but once the Kiwis start attacking our Nick, that is it, the battlelines are drawn. So lay off.
“It’s easy to say that when you’ve been beaten.”
Speaking on Channel 9, Australian Olympian Sam Groth couldn’t resist pointing out that Venus was making these remarks after being knocked out of the Australian Open.
“He’s doing it from New Zealand,” he said on Thursday morning. “He’s not doing it from here in Melbourne Park because he lost in the tournament.
“Throw barbs, but you’re out of the tournament bud. Sorry Michael, I like you a lot, but there’s a time and place.
“I get it, the crowd’s rowdy, Nick’s rowdy — but you were giving it back, you were part of it, you were in that battle. I’m not convinced it was the right way to go.
“I have known Michael for a long, long time. He is understandably a little bit bitter the way things went down. It’s a different crowd.
“Some of the antics were probably a little bit over the top, to be honest. But his is an entertainment product. We are producing it for the fans that come into the stands, and we’re producing it for television and getting eyeballs on the screen that wouldn’t normally be watching.”
Kyrgios and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis — who have been dubbed the “Special K” will take on No. 3 seeded pair Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday afternoon for a spot in the Australian Open men’s doubles final.
Originally published as Karl Stefanovic loses it over Nick Kyrgios sledge: ‘We love our knobs’