‘Joke’: Nine ditches Alex de Minaur Wimbledon thriller for Nick Kyrgios

Channel 9 has copped the wrath of tennis fans for switching from the engrossing match featuring Alex de Minaur to focus instead on tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios.

Channel 9 has been slammed by tennis fans for switching from an entertaining match featuring Alex de Minaur, pictured, to Nick Kyrgios. Picture: AFP

Channel 9 has copped the wrath of tennis fans for switching from the engrossing match featuring Australian Alex de Minaur to focus instead on tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios.

After viewers were engaged with the De Minaur clash with Chilean Cristian Garin, which progressed into a fourth set after a thrilling tie-breaker in the third, Channel 9 decided to snub De Minaur and switch to centre court for Kyrgios.

It meant that viewers were unable to watch the rest of the De Minaur match, unless they were paid subscribers to Stan, as the other Channel 9 channels were featuring a movie, The Jackal, Law and Order and Texas Flip N Move.

So while the de Minaur continued on court two with tense games of rallies, dives and net court play, viewers on the free to air channel could watch Kyrgios’ boom serve rattling through the games.

Social media lit up with complaints about Nine’s decision.

@Channel9 where's the de minaur match. Not everyone wants to watch this fool

— LCarre (@lcarterrific) July 4, 2022

‘Go follow this match on Stan Sport’ is a load of shit Channel 9. Spend 3 hours watching a match and then have to pay to watch the rest of it? Joke. #Wimbledon

— Matt Beck (@A_Hobos_Stick) July 4, 2022

Channel 9 would have made a calculation that Kyrgios is “box office” with his on-court abuse of umpires, lines officials and ball boys and girls, whereas De Minaur’s skilful and genteel approach to the game was not as “entertaining”.