From fiery outbursts to dramatic tanking moments, here’s a closer look at the rollercoaster of fusses that have kept the spotlight firmly on Nick Kyrgios. Just when you thought Nick Kyrgios couldn’t stir the pot anymore, he turns up the heat with another spicy headline.
Fresh off his Wimbledon run-which saw him reaching the final for the first time-the Australian tennis dynamo is back in the spotlight, not just for his on-court heroics but for the drama swirling around him.
A Racket of Controversies Since 2015
Let’s rewind the tape to 2015, the year Kyrgios first made waves. At the Australian Open, the then-19-year-old Kyrgios had his first taste of controversy. He was fined $4,926 for racket abuse and letting loose a string of expletives. His remark “dirty scum” directed at himself became the talk of the tournament, though he tried to smooth things over with an apology. But the real fireworks were yet to come (via Sports Illustrated).
Kyrgios’ Wimbledon journey in 2015 was marked by his infamous antics. He was accused of “tanking”-a term for intentionally underperforming-in his fourth-round match against Richard Gasquet. His lack of effort led to boos from the crowd, and a post-match press conference where he flatly denied any foul play. Things took a turn for the worse at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, where a jibe about Stan Wawrinka’s love life earned him a $10,000 fine and a 28-day suspension.
2016: A Year of Hefty Fines
Fast forward to 2016, and Kyrgios was back at the Shanghai Masters, where he was fined a staggering $32,900 for tanking, plus additional fines for verbal abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct. The cherry on top? An eight-week ban from the sport. His behavior seemed to be like a bull in a china shop, and the fines kept piling up.
2017: More Drama in Shanghai
In 2017, Kyrgios revisited Shanghai, but this time it was for his dramatic retirement mid-match against Steve Johnson. After losing a tiebreak, Kyrgios promptly walked off the court, leading to a $10,000 fine and the forfeiture of his prize money. His on-court drama had become as predictable as a soap opera.
2019: Meltdowns and Record Fines
The Italian Open in 2019 saw Kyrgios’s temper hit new heights. His tantrum, which included kicking bottles, hurling a chair, and spitting out at a fan, earned him a €20,000 fine and the loss of 45 ranking points. Later that year, he made headlines again at the Cincinnati Masters with a $113,000 fine and a verbal jab at the ATP’s “corrupt” practices. The drama seemed to be never-ending.
2020 and Beyond
2020 wasn’t without its share of Kyrgios controversy. His critical remarks about Novak Djokovic’s COVID-19 tournament drew a sharp response, though he later clarified he was highlighting double standards, not corruption. And in 2022, things didn’t cool down. At the Miami Open, Kyrgios was hit with a $35,000 fine for a cocktail of offenses, including verbal abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct.