‘What is wrong with you?’: Tennis explodes over Kyrgios handshake blue

Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas both fumed during their clash but tennis fans really exploded at one big blue after the match ended.

We were all just here for the handshake.

Watching how players interact at the net after a fiery match is one of the delights of being a diehard tennis fan and nobody could wait to see how Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsistipas ended things on Sunday morning.

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 >

The Aussie star won their third round blockbuster in four sets in what was the most dramatic match of the grand slam so far. After locking things up at one-set apiece Kyrgios refused to play and demanded the world No. 5 be defaulted for hitting a ball into the crowd.

There was debate over whether the ball actually rebounded off a wall and hit the back of a fan, and Tsitsipas escaped with only a point penalty.

During the match the Greek star — who became increasingly frustrated with Kyrgios’ conduct and complained to the chair umpire about it — drilled volleys and smashes directly at the body of the Canberran, trying to hit him.

So when Kyrgios roared after match point, attention quickly turned to the centre of the court. Only, TV broadcasters decided not to show the handshake — which contained just as much ill-will as the rest of the match.

“I can officially say I have never given a handshake like that in my life,” Kyrgios said in his post-match press conference.

“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.”

The Kyrgios show rolls on. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Social media exploded, trashing the post-match TV blunder.

Tennis journalist and podcaster Ben Rothenberg tweeted: “MY GOD THEY DIDN’T SHOW THE HANDSHAKE WTF.

“They didn’t show the handshake in these slo-mo replays of the end of the match, either. I seethe profusely.”

British reporter Mike Dickson wrote: “The handshake was unmissable, but they still managed it.”

Writer Ricky Dimon said: “TV producers should be fired IMMEDIATELY. Showing random people in the crowd instead of post-match handshakes has been an ongoing problem in tennis, and today’s offence was probably the worst ever.”

Reem Abulleil added: “Unreal decision not to show the handshake.”

Aussie tennis legend Todd Woodbridge also joined the chorus of disbelief. “How can you miss the handshake after that match?” he tweeted.

German tennis star Andrea Petkovic wrote: “We were all just here for the handshake and you cut away BBC what is wrong with you?”

American tennis legend Andy Roddick said: “How on earth did they miss the handshake?”

Fortunately, Wimbledon heard the uproar and later uploaded a clip showing the handshake to its official social media channels.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Nick Kyrgios: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙩#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/ySHotqt9fI

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2022

There was no love lost between the pair.

That wasn’t the only criticism the TV networks copped for their coverage of the match. The BBC came under fire for what viewers said was an anti-Kyrgios sentiment repeatedly put forward by the commentators.

At the end of the match one commentator accused Kyrgios of being “intimidating” and said he was lucky to still be allowed on the court considering how he behaved during the match. The caller also said Tsitsipas had every right to complain about his opponent’s conduct.

Editor Lewis Steele slammed the British public broadcaster for its “horrific anti-Kyrgios bias in commentary” with “no alternate views offered”.

James Hansen said the “BBC commentary of Kyrgios-Tsitsipas is embarrassing” while Daniel McDonnell added: “This BBC commentary team’s sniffy attitude towards Nick Kyrgios is definitely strengthening my view that we need more of Kyrgios and less of everybody else.”

Elsewhere, American tennis legend John McEnroe was accused of gross hypocrisy as he commentated a US broadcast of the match.

McEnroe, the original tennis wild child during his playing days who regularly made life hell for umpires, was critical of Kyrgios’ behaviour on Sunday.

Ironic hearing John McEnroe talk about Nick Kyrgios being disrespectful of tennis and the sport's tradition. #Wimbledon2022

— Marlon A. Walker (@marlonawalker) July 2, 2022

Watching #Wimbledon and this Kyrgios vs Tsitsipas match is pure entertainment! 1st time witnessing tennis beef and I’m loving it. Great tennis too. Also, it’s rich hearing McEnroe talk about how disgraceful Kyrgios is being to the game of tennis. Of all people…

— Trai Essex (@TraiDay79) July 2, 2022

Sidenote: almost spit out my coffee when I found out that the stodgy analyst criticizing Kyrgios' behavior during the match was JOHN MCENROE!! 🤣

This would be like 30 years from now Paul Pogba criticizing a soccer player for too much social media, dancing and weird haircuts.

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) July 2, 2022