Nick Kyrgios: ‘Unprofessional’ AOC ‘an embarrassment’ in their role in my Olympic Games ‘heartbreak’

BRANDING Kitty Chiller and the AOC’s role in his Games “heartbreak” as unprofessional, Nick Kyrgios has vowed to put the furore to bed with on court success.

Nick Kyrgios pulled out of the Olympics citing the AOC’s treatment of him as the reason.

DESCRIBING Kitty Chiller and the Australian Olympic Committee’s role in his Games “heartbreak” as unprofessional, Nick Kyrgios has vowed to overcome the furore with grass court excellence over the next month.

Welcoming AOC chief executive officer Fiona de Jong’s admission the standoff could have been handled better, Kyrgios said he had no choice other than opt out of the Rio Games.

“Ultimately I just felt I couldn’t go and perform to the best of my abilities under the sort of negative environment that the AOC and some of its personnel have created,” Kyrgios said.

Condemning Chiller’s public detailing of a 16-page letter marked “strictly confidential” as an “embarrassment”, Kyrgios said he now intends to move on.

“I’m on my own path. I’m learning. I’m find my way and looking to improve in every way I can,” he said.

“I can’t let this affect me in the long term as its not healthy, of course it’s not been easy, but as far as using it as fuel I would say not, as it’s a different type of energy.

“My goals remain the same though — I want to win slams, I want to be No. 1 and I want to perform and win on the biggest stages for Australia in both Davis Cup and in future Olympic Games.

“My immediate focus turns to the grass court season for Queens and Wimbledon.

“I have put the heartbreak of the Olympic Games behind me now but I did want to put the record straight on why I made the decision I did.

Kyrgios believes he had no option other than to withdraw from the Olympics.

“And I want people to know that I was not dropped nor was I going to be dropped as the AOC had no grounds or power to drop me.”

Kyrgios was put “on notice” by Chiller in March over behavioural issues.

Admitting he has “made my share of mistakes and will continue to make mistakes,” Kygrios said he is “focusing on improving as a tennis player and as a person”.

“My mistakes have affected me the most and I know where I have messed up and I know where I need to improve,” he said

“I don’t want to get into comparing myself to others specifically, but I am not the first to mature in the national spotlight and have missteps along the way.

“The key for me is to continue learning and growing.

Australian Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller was publicly critical of Kyrgios.

“The bigger problem here in my opinion is the unprofessionalism of leaders of our Olympic governing body who have turned this into a media spectacle.

“At 21 years old, even I know that the media is not the appropriate place to discuss important issues that can affect the reputation of our country.

“For Ms Chiller to think that it is appropriate to engage in an ongoing media campaign against any likely Olympic athlete is completely out of touch.

“This is not a great situation for any of us in the eyes of the international media — me, the AOC, TA, Kitty Chiller or any of the other Australian athletes that are now being brought into this mess.”

Kyrgios was last month sent a letter from the AOC asking him to “please explain” instances where he might have brought himself or sport into disrepute.

“What really came through loud and clear with the letter was a distinct lack of awareness and understanding from the people that wrote it, not only of tennis but professional sport as a whole,” he said.

“The letter is a continuation of public media attacks from the AOC that began months ago. Highly unprofessional.

Kyrgios has a catalogue of juvenile on-court dummy-spits against his name.

“I have never met Kitty Chiller and did not know who she was until I started reading her comments about me in the media.

“I honestly do not know what her role is in this process outside of launching public attacks on me.

“I am very disappointed with how they have handled the whole thing. This is a situation that the AOC created months ago by not going through the proper channels to address their concerns.

“I spent the entire Australian summer at home and playing tournaments in Australia if they wanted to meet with me. I was not hard to find.

“They could have reached out to TA (Tennis Australia). They are not hard to find. The AOC did none of this.

“To say that they tried to communicate with me by sending a 16-page letter days before the Olympic designations and then leaking the letter to the media is a complete failure.

“If the goal is to promote professionalism and integrity in Australian Sport, then the AOC and Kitty Chiller should start with themselves first.”

Kyrgios is fifth favourite at 22-1 with English bookmakers to win behind Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Milos Raonic.

Originally published as Nick Kyrgios: ‘Unprofessional’ AOC ‘an embarrassment’ in their role in my Olympic Games ‘heartbreak’