Sports

Kyrgios in 'rigging' rant at Queen's


LONDON (Reuters) – Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios accused a line judge of “rigging” his delayed first-round match against Roberto Carballes Baena at the Queen’s Club Championships on Thursday.

Tennis – ATP 500 – Fever-Tree Championships – The Queen’s Club, London, Britain – June 20, 2019 Australia’s Nick Kyrgios during his first round match against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena Action Images via Reuters/Tony O’Brien

Kyrgios won 7-6(4) 6-3 to set up a second-round clash with Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime later in the day but once again it was his behavior that provided the talking point as he was handed a code violation.

The 24-year-old lost his cool and rounded on umpire Fergus Murphy after missing a set point in the first set when he believed his Spanish opponent’s serve had been out.

“The ball was this far out (holding hands about a foot apart), no joke. No joke. What are you doing? It’s so far long. What are you doing? What are you actually doing up there?” Kyrgios was heard to say. “Bro, it’s taking the piss.

“I refuse to play.”

Kyrgios was then given a code violation for unsportsmanlike behavior before taking a dislike to umpire Murphy’s headgear. “It’s a joke, man. It’s a serious joke. Like your hat looks ridiculous, also. It’s not even sunny.”

Following another point, Kyrgios continued to berate the officials and threatened to walk off court.

“The ball was this far out on the second serve. I’m going. I’m not going to give 100 percent when I’ve got a linesman rigging the game, I don’t want to play.”

“Be careful, Nick, be careful what you’re saying,” Murphy said, only to be told: “I’m not talking to you. Don’t talk to me. Don’t talk to me.”

Kyrgios called the officials a “disgrace” during the tiebreak and then demanded to speak to the tournament supervisor after taking the opening set.

Three games later when the supervisor arrived, Kyrgios explained his view of events.

“Twenty people over there are saying it was way out. Go and ask them yourself. They’re not going to lie to you, they’ve got no reason to,” he said. “An 80mph second serve. You actually can’t be that bad… That shit can’t happen. Know what I mean?”

Controversy has followed Kyrgios around throughout his career and he recently rocked the boat with uncomplimentary comments about world number one Novak Djokovic and 18-times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in a video posted on social media.

He pulled out of the French Open because of illness shortly after saying the tournament “sucked”.

Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis



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