Nick Kyrgios accuses linesmen of rigging the game in Queen’s Club capitulation

Aussie slams linesmen then mocks chair umpire’s hat before bowing out at Queen’s Club | WATCH

Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena during their men's singles round of 32 tennis match at the ATP Fever-Tree Championships tournament at Queen's Club in west London. Picture: AFP

Snarling Australian Nick Kyrgios accused a line judge of “rigging the game” in an expletive-riddled first round match at the Queen’s club where he even mocked the umpire for his hat. And his mood failed to improve after being bundled out of the Queen’s championship a few hours later — in a typically careless, little trying effort — to a young, more vibrant player, Felix Auger-Aliassime, 7-6, 6-7, 5-7 after playing two headline matches on the one day.

Kyrgios’s bad behaviour earned him a code violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour during his first of two matches on an outside court overnight (AEST). He beat Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in two sets, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3, although he went through the match remonstrating to himself that he shouldn’t have been playing computer games until 3am.

“So lazy, do something, so lazy you are,” Kyrgios muttered to himself. “You were playing FIFA until 3am, what do you expect?”

■ Osaka loss presents Barty with no.1 chance

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios appeals to the umpire on court one during his Queen’s Club match against Spain'’ Roberto Carballes Baena. Picture: AP

He then faced the up-and-coming Canadian 18-year-old several hours later as the Queen’s organisers struggled to overcome two days’ loss of play because of heavy rain earlier in the week.

Auger-Aliassime had the same schedule, dispatching Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4 earlier in the day.

Yet the dark skies continued to hang over Krygios, even though this tournament is his favourite and he has settled into his London home with his mother and several of his mates.

Against Auger-Aliassime he was lacklustre, pulling out a tweener at a crucial point where he turned to the crowd and said the manoeuvre was just about being lazy. To underscore his lacklustre effort, Kyrgios also half-heartedly returned serves, was stuck in the middle of the court as if playing a warm-up hit and moved about as if injured.

😕 15-0 "Bro, it's taking the p***. I refuse to play."

😡 30-0 "I'm not going to give 100 per cent when I've got linesmen rigging the game, I don't want to play."

👒 40-0 "Like, your hat looks ridiculous, also. It's not even sunny."

Nick Kyrgios.https://t.co/B64714MJje

— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) June 20, 2019

Kyrgios’s bad day began when he lost a set point to Carballes Baena when he believed was a double fault.

He rounded on the umpire, Fergus Murphy, saying: “Bro you are taking the f****** piss mate? The ball was this far out, no joke. No joke. What are you doing? It’s so far long. What are you doing? Like, what are you actually doing up there? It was this far out. Bro, it’s taking the piss. I refuse to play.”

After Murphy issued a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, Kyrgios continued his verbal spat. “It couldn’t have been further out. What are you doing? Jesus. Was that not out, the second serve? It’s a joke, man. It’s a serious joke,” he said. “Your hat looks ridiculous, also. It’s not even sunny.”

"... your hat looks ridiculous also, it's not even sunny" - @NickKyrgios pic.twitter.com/CQnHQZfzp5

— Tom Hartley (@TomHartley_7) June 20, 2019

After playing another point, Kyrgios was still upset about the incident and he accused the linesman of “rigging the game”.

He said: “The ball was this far out on the second serve. I’m going. I’m not going to give 100% when I’ve got linesmen rigging the game, I don’t want to play. You wonder why I don’t try half the time. Literally the set had finished, he double-faulted. Why am I playing at 5-5? Absolute joke.”

Kyrgios won the match in straight sets. But during his second match against Auger-Aliassime, indifference and fatigue led to some static play by Kyrgios, where even the good-hearted commentator Sue Barker questioned whether he was taking the game seriously.

Kyrgios spending the change of ends casually taking in the Simon v Anderson match next door 👀😂@NickKyrgios #QueensTennis pic.twitter.com/P6PiC9NlNz

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 20, 2019

Kyrgios made no apologies afterwards for swearing at spectators who were booing him when he left the court.

“I’m playing my heart out, and I’ve got to deal with idiot umpires and idiots in the crowd. What do you want from me, dude?” he said.

But he backed down on claiming the lineman was rigging the match.

“I meant it in the context he knows I’m going to retaliate,” Kyrgios said.

“Like, all the referees know that. They talk about it, for sure. They know I’m never going to be the type of guy that’s going to get a bad call and not let them hear about it.”

Kyrgios said playing on an outside court without review meant that some of the calls weren’t going to be great, but he felt they were “outrageous” calls.

Nice touch of sportsmanship from @NickKyrgios... Calls a serve in and gives Felix the point 🙌#QueensTennis pic.twitter.com/V7gwzHmUnx

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 20, 2019

“It shouldn’t have to come down to me and Felix giving each other points. He gave me a point at a pretty crucial time, and I gave him a point at a pretty crucial time,” he said.

“You know, they (officials) don’t get any warning or fine or anything for their mistakes. So what’s the difference? For me doing a code violation, why can’t they get fined for having a terrible day in the chair? Like, there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line. It’s not a joke. They just think it’s a joke because nothing happens to them after the match. They don’t get any investigation or anything.”