Kyrgios slammed for on-court outburst during five-set win over Seppi at Oz Open

Image
ANI Wellington
Last Updated : Jan 26 2015 | 12:55 PM IST

Australian teen tennis ace Nick Kyrgios has been slammed for his on-court attitude during his five-set thriller against Italy's Andreas Seppi at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

Kyrgios, who defeated Seppi 5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 8-6 to become the youngest Australian Open men's quarterfinalist in almost 25 years, launched expletive-laden outbursts at fans, while he also hammered ball kids, line officials and the umpire during his match.

Kyrgios, who is the first native to reach the final eight since Lleyton Hewitt a decade ago, drew the rage of social media users, particularly for swearing at members of the crowd, including a person using their mobile phone, Stuff.co.nz reported.

During the crucial fourth set he yelled at the person asking him to get off his 'f---ing phone'. He has already been fined 4926 Australian dollars for racket abuse and audible obscenities during his first-round match last Monday.

Kyrgios could be fined again because television viewers heard his expletive outburst after his temper boiled over at the end of the second set when he slammed his racket into the ground, nearly breaking it in two.

But Kyrgios, who has become the poster boy of the Australian Open, recovered to defeat Seppi in three hours and 34 minutes, with a new racket in hand. However, his antics on the court left many unimpressed despite his stellar comeback.

A Twitter user posted that he knows there's a lot of pressure, but screaming at the ball boys or girls for ones towel isn't cool. Another tweeted that just once he wishes Australians would see people as 'a****les even when they have won, adding that it seems winning excuses disgusting behaviour.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 26 2015 | 12:40 PM IST

Next Story