Nick Kyrgios attacks greats over concerns for his mental health

Nick Kyrgios fires up at Martina Navratilova and Jim Courier's comments on his mental health.

Nick Kyrgios is lighter in the pocket to the tune of $167,000 following his Cincinnati antics. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios has taken umbrage at tennis legends critical of his on-court behaviour prior to his opening round match at the US Open tomorrow against Steve Johnson.

The Australian No. 1 issued a rebuke to Martina Navratilova and Jim Courier for speculating about his mental health in a pre-US Open discussion assessing tournament fancies.

Navratilova, an 18-time grand slam singles winner, declared the Australian should not receive a moral pass for his poor on-court behaviour, regardless of the cause.

“I think there is no question that he needs some help,” she said on The Tennis Channel.

“That is definitely above our pay grade where mentally he needs some help. I just would like for him to do his talking with his racquet rather than breaking them and rather than with his mouth.

“He needs to start winning matches, then he can talk. We can’t give a moral pass to somebody just because he is potentially a great tennis player.”

Dual-Australian Open champion Jim Courier praised the Canberran’s form throughout this year but also raised concerns about Kyrgios, whose explosive tantrum in Cincinnati recently led to fines of A$167,000.

“There are a lot of things you can unpack here. One, his season has actually been pretty good because he has won two big titles,” Courier said.

“One is in Acapulco — that is a 500 series title — and in Washington DC. But he also continues to struggle emotionally and I think we need to spare a little bit of a thought for him.

“Definitely we are not condoning his behaviour. Does he need some mental health help? Is it something that is medical? We don’t know the answer to that, for sure.

“But he is a guy who polarises. He can play some electric tennis but, man, it has been tough to watch at times.”

In response, the 24-year-old branded the former greats “spuds” in one of his two social media posts about the segment, which he retweeted to his followers.

People that are irrelevant in my personal life are trying to make comments on my personal character. Well done 🥔’s https://t.co/1UHuQnaEwE

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 26, 2019

“Hahahaha. This is some of the worst content I’ve ever seen,” he wrote, punctuating his assessment with a facepalm emoji.

“But trust me, I know what to expect from you guys … absolute rubbish content every time I tune in.

“People that are irrelevant in my personal life are trying to make comments on my personal character. Well done spuds.”

The derogatory assessment to finish his rebuttal was also made using an emoji.

Kyrgios received backing for his response from compatriot John Millman, who wrote, “You do you mate,”.

After his victory in Washington D.C, the 24-year-old alluded to battling through a difficult period following a disappointing Australian Open.

“Where I was six months ago, some of the things I was doing, I was putting myself in a really tough situation,” he said at the time.

“To be able to respond like this, having incredible support, it is amazing. I have people behind me supporting me, backing me, they never lost faith in me even though I lost it in myself.

“I just want to grow as a person, as a human, and if that comes along, the tennis will come with it. It is just small habits, every day, trying to get better.”

Kyrgios worked with a psychologist for a period when ordered to by the ATP Tour after earning a suspension for behaviour during the Shanghai Masters in 2016.

He angered tournament officials there a year later when, while pitted against Johnson, the American he will play tomorrow, he walked off the court after dropping the first set in a tie-breaker.