Tennis fans should heed Nick Kyrgios’ advice and stop going to his games after tanking debacle: Jon Anderson

NICK Kyrgios’ apology for his bizarre tank at the Shanghai Masters means “stuff all” and perhaps fans should take his advice and stop going to watch his games.

Nick Kyrgios during his embarrassing performance at the Shanghai Masters. Picture: AFP

RARELY would I advise Australians to heed the advice of enfant terrible Nick Kyrgios, but he might just have made a very salient point after his most recent embarrassing offering to the world of tennis.

Kyrgios suggested tennis fans need not come to watch him after he gave up during a 6-3 6-1 loss to 110th ranked German qualifier Mischa Zverev at the Shanghai Masters.

KYRGIOS TANKS, ARGUES WITH SPECTATORS AT MASTERS

“I don’t owe them anything. It’s my choice. If you don’t like it, I didn’t ask you to come watch. Just leave,” said Kyrgios at his press conference.

Nick Kyrgios during his embarrassing performance at the Shanghai Masters. Picture: AFP

He later tweeted an apology, presumably after the spin doctors had gone to work on their cash cow.

And while his apology means stuff all to most of us, because we know young Nick doesn’t mean a word of it, his suggestion tennis fans find something else to do rather than watch his crass actions actually has merit.

Because if fans stay away then sponsors will stay away and soon enough Kyrgios and every other petulant brat on the world tennis tour won’t have an outlet for their vile behaviour.

Had Kyrgios produced the same crap 30 or 40 years ago he would have been sat on his bum very early on until he learnt how to behave.

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That sadly can’t happen in today’s world, allowing megalomaniacs of his type to keep peddling their vulgarity and keep receiving equally vulgar amounts of money.

But if the crowds showed some class and boycotted his matches, then Kyrgios wouldn’t have a vehicle to embarrass his sport. Sadly some tennis fans crave confrontation, while others are prepared to forgive Kyrgios because of his supreme talent.

Are tennis fans happy to forgive Nick Kyrgios because of his supreme talent. Picture: Getty Images

And make no mistake, he is the most talented male player this country has produced in the past two decades, and that includes Lleyton Hewiit and Pat Rafter. In fact in terms of pure talent, maybe only Mark Philippoussis can rival Kyrgios since our glory days of the 1960s-70s.

But talent doesn’t mean much when you lob a soft serve into play and walk off the court before your opponent has hit a return. That is so disrespectful although you get the feeling that respect isn’t something Kyrgios has any genuine idea of.