Nick Kyrgios defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas despite midgame protest

Nick Kyrgios has staged a mid-match protest over fussy umpiring before staging a late rally to stamp his Wimbledon credentials.

Nick Kyrgios (L) argues with ATP Supervisor Hans-Juergen Ochs in his match against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Picture: Thomas F. Starke/Getty Images

Australian tennis ace Nick Kyrgios staged a dramatic midgame protest that halted play before launching a spectacular comeback to beat one of the world’s best players at the Halle Open.

Showing Kyrgios is looming as a genuine Wimbledon threat later this month, the big serving Aussie came back from a set down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 5-7 6-2 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.

But it wasn’t the comeback that had everyone talking, rather it was the dramatic sit down in the second set by Kyrgios.

With Tsitsipas serving Kyrgios was issued with a time violation for going to use his towel in between points.

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*time violation warning mr Kyrgios*
the supervisor arrives, Tsitsipas keeps serving, everything is so perfect pic.twitter.com/yJT79W3U9M

— Garbee|| Serena is coming ❤️ (@muguruthlessN1) June 15, 2022

The call by the umpire immediately upset Kyrgios who walked directly to his chair demanding he won’t play until he spoke to the tournament supervisor.

“For what, I got my towel,” a puzzled Kyrgios said when the violation was called out.

“I don’t care bro. I do that all the time. Every time I play Rafa I am waiting for him. Dries his head off and I’m waiting for him and nothing.”

Kyrgios returned to play after several minutes and later explained why he took issue at the initial call by the umpire.

“He said I was playing too slow - statistically I’m one of the fastest,” Kyrgios said.

“I had to walk to the sidelines to get my towel, there is this thing called sweat in 30 Celsius heat that runs down onto your hands.

“I needed to wipe my hands and he gave me a warning.” Kyrgios immediately sat down mid-game on his bench and thrashed the point out with the chair before returning to the court amid cheers.

Nick Kyrgios reacts to the umpire’s call. Picture: Thomas F. Starke/Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios (L) argues with ATP Supervisor Hans-Juergen Ochs in his match against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Picture: Thomas F. Starke/Getty Images

“The support I get from crowds around the world is amazing. They want me to go out and put on a show,” he said.

Kyrgios called what he judged a frivolous warning “an unnecessary part of the game. It’s not needed in a stadium full of people”.

“I later hit two aces just to prove my point.”

Kyrgios, who has played only five events this season outside of Australia, said he is proud of winning on his own terms - without a coach and playing only when it suits him - while still keeping his ranking at its current 65th.

If he reaches the final in Halle, there is a chance he could be a seeded player at Wimbledon.

“There needs to be more grass events for sure, I’ve been talking about it for ages,” he said.

“If we had six grass court tournaments in Australia, I’d never leave the country.”

Kyrgios will play a Friday quarter-final against Pablo Carreno Busta after the Spanish sixth seed beat Sebastian Korda 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

The Australian said that his lack of a massive tennis work ethic is actually a help to his game.

“If I can beat some of the best players in the world and play at this level with as few events as I play, I’m pretty happy.

“I’ve got a lot of people whom I’m playing for back home and they all want me to keep winning matches like this. This just proves that you can do it all your own way.”

AN OUT OF THIS 🌎 SHOT BY @NickKyrgios!

The Australian defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas 5-7 6-2 6-4 to advance in Halle!@ATPHalle | #TWO22pic.twitter.com/hEJrFuZeC6

— ATP Tour (@atptour) June 15, 2022

But the match is just another chapter in the chaotic tennis life of Kyrgios who last week claimed he was the victim of racism by the Stuttgart crowd during his loss to former world No. 1 Andy Murray.

He had also smashed a racquet after losing the first set to Tsitsipas, but then endeared himself yet again to fans by taking the broken item over to a fan in a wheelchair after the game.

Kyrgios knows this grass court season is his chance to really make an impact on the tour and potentially at Wimbledon, with scalps like Tsitsipas fuelling his confidence ahead of his return to London.

“Stef is one of the best players in the world at the moment and he’s going to have some amazing results and I’m sure many, many grand slams,” Kyrgios said.

“I don’t know if I can say the same for me, but I’m happy to still be able to produce this level with the tournaments I play. It is a testament to how hard I do work when I’m not playing.”

Originally published as Nick Kyrgios defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas despite midgame protest