Tsitsipas calls Kyrgios a 'thug' and the Aussie calls him a 'softie'

Tsitsipas calls Kyrgios a ‘thug’ and the Aussie calls him a ‘softie’

Posted On: July 3, 2022

australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios called the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas of ‘soft’ and defended his controversial on-court performance after the world number five called him a ‘thug’ during their tense match at Wimbledon, the third ‘Grand Slam’ of the season.

Kyrgios recovered from a set down to claim an impressive 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) win over the fourth seed, meeting American Brandon Nakashima in the round of 16. .

The competition was not without controversy; Kyrgios unhinged Tsitsipas by ask for the Greek to be disqualified after nearly hitting a spectator with a pitch at the end of the second set. He then tried to hit the Australian twice with the ball, who in turn called the chair umpire a ‘disgrace’.

While Kyrgios called his rival, with whom he played doubles at Wimbledon three years ago, a ‘great player’, neither player was in the mood for niceties at their respective press conferences .

Inside, Tsitsipas accused Kyrgios of “constant bullying”. “That’s what he does, he bullies his rivals. He was probably a bully himself at school. I don’t like bullies. I don’t like people who put other people down,” he said. he declared.

“He has good character traits. But he also has a very evil side which, if exposed, can really cause a lot of hurt and harm to the people around him,” he added.

Kyrgios, who scored four wins in five outings against Tsitsipas, responded to those criticisms by pointing out the Greek was not popular on the tour. and noting his inability to manage matches. “He’s so sweet, to come here and say I bullied him? That’s just sweet,” Kyrgios said.

“We’re not cut from the same cloth. If he’s affected by that, anyone will take him out of the game. I think he’s soft. I don’t know how I bullied him; that’s him who hit me with balls, he was the one who hit a spectator, he was the one who retired from the game. I didn’t do anything disrespectful to Stefanos, I don’t think”, said he continued.

In this sense, he assured that it was the Greeks who set up “the circus”. “I think if he made this game it’s because he has serious problems. I have a lot of friends, in fact I’m one of the most loved players,” Kyrgios said, who is just one win away from equaling his best streak at Wimbledon. , as he reached the quarter-finals in 2014 with a victory over Rafa Nadal before being beaten by Canadian Milos Raonic.