Wimbledon news: Nick Kyrgios, Stefanos Tsitsipas trade press conference barbs after spiteful win

Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas have gone to war after their spiteful Wimbledon encounter, with the Australian firing back at his ‘sore loser’ opponent after being called an ‘evil’ bully.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios claimed Tsitsipas is ‘soft’ and not a true competitor. Picture: Getty

Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas have continued their bitter Wimbledon feud long after their match has finished.

The two men have unloaded on each other at their post-match press conferences in London – with Tsitsipas labelling Kyrgios “a bully” and “evil” and the Australian firing back by saying the Greek was soft and sore loser.

Both players were given code violations on the court for their unruly behaviour and can expect to be heavily fined after continuing their war of words when they fronted the press.

Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Australia's Nick Kyrgios celebrates his epic take-down of fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Picture: AFP

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.”

Tsitsipas accused Kyrgios of turning the match into a circus, and said he was a bully on court. Picture: AFP

Tsitsipas said he had also overstepped the line.

He admitted trying to hit Kyrios with the ball and he apologised for swatting a ball into the crowd, which nearly hit a spectator and promoted Kyrgios to demand he be defaulted from the match.

“I have to say it was really bad from my side. I have never done that before, throwing the ball outside the court in that way,” he said.

“I did apologise to the people. I don’t know what went through my head at that time.

“With all the circus show going on on the other side of the net, it started to become very tiring and …that happened. I didn’t hit any people. It did hit the wall, thank God. For sure I’m never doing that again. It’s my responsibility, for sure but there was also something that created that behaviour that I’m not used to see (from) myself.”

There was clearly no love between the pair when the match ended, with Kyrgios winning in four sets.

pic.twitter.com/0wXQsXTlez

— Hewy Sportsbook (@hewynewton) July 2, 2022

They only briefly shook hands at the end and Tsitsipas said later that it was time for players to take a stand against the Australian’s antics if officials keep turning a blind eye.

“I wish we could all come together and put a rule in place. I don’t know. Something about talking. Why would you be talking while you’re playing? It makes no sense. You are out there to do your job. Tennis is “the” most important thing that we are doing out there,” he said.

“There is no other player that does this. There is no other player that is so upset and frustrated all the time with something. It triggers it so easy and so fast.

“I really hope all us players can come up with something and make this a cleaner version of our sport, have this kind of behaviour not accepted, not allowed, not tolerated, and move on better.

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas was unimpressed with Kyrgios’ on-court antics during his defeat. Picture: AFP

“I don’t think he could play without having a circus around. It’s just the way he likes things being done, like he’s on his own terms, his own way.

“He just always gets away with it. I spoke to the umpire briefly, telling him that it’s really crossing the line in many ways. I do understand he got a code violation for something he did.

“I remember one, two of the line umpires walking up to the referee and telling him something. So it happened twice, something might happen twice.

“It just feels very messy. It just feels like disorganised in a way.”

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.”

Nick Kyrgios described Tsitsipas as a sore loser, and said he should’ve been defaulted. Picture: Getty

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.”

Asked whether he owed anyone an apology for his behaviour, Kyrgios said he had nothing to be sorry about because the fault lay with his opponent.

“What did I do there? What did I do?” he said.

“I’ll get fined for that. Why would I need to apologise? I’m getting fined for it. Because I always get fined. I’m very keen to see what he will get after today.

“I don’t care. When I’m back home and you see me everyday and who I’m competing with on the basketball court, these guys are dogs.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios claimed Tsitsipas is ‘soft’ and not a true competitor. Picture: Getty

“The people I’m playing at Wimbledon, he’s that soft, to come in here and say I bullied him, that’s just soft.

“We’re not cut from the same cloth. I go up against guys who are true competitors.

“If he’s affected by that today, then that’s what’s holding him back, because someone can just do that and that’s going to throw him off his game like that. I just think it’s soft.”

Asked whether he would approach Tsitsipas – who he had previously described as a friend – to patch things up, Kyrgios said he wouldn’t.

“I don’t know what I did today. I didn’t think I was aggressive towards him,” he said.

“I wasn’t hitting balls at his face. I didn’t feel like there was any anger. I had no anger towards Stef today on the match. I don’t know where it’s coming from, to be honest.

“I think he was angry, because when he hit the ball out of the stadium, it was directed at his box. Obviously they had some friction, and obviously when you start losing and losing to me again, you get angry.

“I can officially say I have never given a handshake like that in my life. Every time I’ve lost, when I defaulted against Casper Ruud, I looked people in the eye and I say, ‘Well done today, you were the better man’, and he wasn’t man enough to do that today.

“So he’s not going to come up to me in the locker room and say anything.

“No. I’m not going to confront anyone about anything. That’s not bullying.

“I‘m good in the locker room. I’ve got many friends, just to let you know. I’m actually one of the most liked. I’m set. He’s not liked. Let’s just put that there.”