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Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios been fined $10,000 and may face further punishment for an astonishing sledge he directed at Stanislas Wawrinka during a tennis match in Canada.
After losing the first set at a second-round Rogers Cup match in Montreal, Kyrgios could be heard on a courtside microphone muttering: "Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that mate".
Kyrgios was referring to Australian colleague Thanasi Kokkinakis and 19-year-old Croatian player Donna Vekic, who has reportedly been dating Wawrinka following the end of his marriage to Ilham Vuilloud earlier this year
The moment caused social media to go into meltdown and sparked heated reaction worldwide, most condemning the controversial 20-year-old from Canberra.
French Open champion Wawrinka, 30, branded Kyrgios "unacceptable" and called for action to be taken against the Australian.
Nasty personal sledge ... Nick Kyrgios bites onto his chain during his match against Stan Wawrinka in Montreal.Credit: Getty Images
The ATP confirmed on Thursday that Kyrgios had been fined $10,000, the maximum fine allowed for such an offence. The ATP has not ruled out further action against Kyrgios.
"Nick Kyrgios has been fined the maximum on site amount of $10,000 for an insulting comment he made to Stan Wawrinka," an ATP said in a statement.
"The ATP ... is still reviewing that matter and additional penalties may be forthcoming."
Just a couple of hours after the ATP announced it would fine him, Kyrgios went into damage control mode, apologising on Twitter and Facebook.
Kyrgios slur: Donna Vekic watches Stan Wawrinka in action at Wimbledon.Credit: Getty Images
He also said he had apologised personally to Wawrinka.
"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the comments I made during the match last night vs Stan," Kyrgios tweeted.
'To stoop so low is not only unacceptable but also beyond belief': Stan Wawrinka blasted Nick Kyrgios for the sledge after their recent match.Credit: AP
He also posted the comment on Facebook, adding: "My comments were made in the heat of the moment and were unacceptable on many levels.
"In addition to the private apology I've made, I would like to make a public apology as well. I take full responsibility for my actions and regret what happened."
Kyrgios won Wednesday's contest after the Swiss retired hurt, but it was an apparent exchange at the end of the first set that became the focal point.
Speaking on court afterwards, Kyrgios claimed he had been provoked, saying: "He was getting a bit lippy with me. Kind of in the heat of the moment, I don't know. I just said it."
Wawrinka responded to Kyrgios' slur on Twitter:
Controversy has followed Kyrgios around since his 2014 breakthrough when he knocked Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon.
At this year's tournament he was moved to deny accusations of abusing an umpire and throwing a game, while on Davis Cup duty he shouted "I don't want to be here" while on court.
PA