2 months ago
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Grumpy part-timer Nick Kyrgios lost his cool in a post-match press conference last night, lashing out at a horrendous umpire call and “dumb” tennis rules.
The former world no.13 declared he was “pissed off” after he and Special K partner Thanasi Kokkinakis were denied an opportunity to review a point during their first round doubles defeat.
They lost the clash against fellow Aussies Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (4-10).
The trouble started during the tense third-set tie-breaker when Kokkinakis served a ball that the pair felt had cleared the net.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis on Thursday night.Credit: Getty Images
Instead, the chair umpire ruled it was a let and asked for Kokkinakis to serve again. The Special Ks were then denied the right to challenge the decision.
But in the same tie-breaker, Kubler and Polmans had a point overturned after claiming Kokkinakis had reached over the net to hit a forehand winner. Their review was allowed.
“How can you review a ball that’s been hit over the net, but you can’t review a serve over the net?” Kyrigos later fumed. “Doesn’t make any f…ing sense. Like, that’s why I’m pissed off. “Like, we’re playing for millions of dollars. We’ve been both injured, both trying to get to this stage. Some of these rules are just so, so, so dumb. They don’t make sense.“
Not content to leave it there, Kyrgios also criticised the umpire.
“It just pisses me off that we go out there and compete, and some of these rules are just so gray areas,” he grumbled.
“He hits a great serve to start the tie-break. It’s a horrendous call by the referee, horrendous. No let, all that.
“I’m not saying that’s the reason we lost. Like obviously Kubes and Polmans, they’re great players. Just pisses me off because, like, now we both have to go back to the drawing board. Physically we’re hobbling. It’s just annoying.“
In the past, tennis employed net judges. Now, the decisions are made by the central umpire.
Kyrgios is playing mixed doubles this afternoon with Canadian Leylah Fernandez on ANZ Arena.
