Tennis is a beautiful sport but it is not rare for us to see the players lose their cool every now and then. Smashing their rackets being the most common way of expressing frustration. However, there is a thin line between being frustrated and disrespecting the game.
Nick Kyrgios crossed this line in his Italian Open match against Casper Rudd. The Australian had a spat with the umpire on a wrong call. However, this time he did not stop with just smashing his racket or hurling a shoe into the crowd (yead, he did that once too!).
Nick Kyrgios in action (Photo: Euro Sport)
The 24-year-old was apparently upset with the umpire’s calls but took out his frustration on his game. Kyrgios smashed his racket, threw a napkin, hurled a chair, and then stormed off the court. He has been disqualified from the tournament but what he did is a disgrace to the sport and sportsmanship. This is not the first time he has lost his cool on the court and acted in an unacceptable manner.
Here are some occasions when he disrespected the game.
Australian Open 2015
Nick Kyrgios at Australian Open 2015 (Photo: Herald Sun)
Nick does have a history of losing his mind on the court and acting out his frustration but nothing warrants his behaviour. Back in 2015, he was fined for smashing his racket and other obscenities on the court. He had to pay a fine of $4926 for breaching the tournament’s behaviour threshold.
Wimbledon 2015
Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon 2015 (Photo: The Telegraph)
He might have not smashed his racket in this game but he did definitely smash the spirit of the game. When he felt that he was undone by the decisions on the court, he decided to take the laws in his hands. Kyrgios decided to not play and he just let the ball go as Richard Gasquet served. Well, maybe he was collecting himself. He later went on to win that tie and hugged a ball boy as well.
BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells)
Nick Kyrgios at Indian Wells 2019 (Photo: Tennis World USA)
It is clear that it is not just teenage rage when it comes to Nick Kyrgios. Years have passed by the tennis player still holds the same frustration levels. Yet again, he smashed his racket and was fined for that behaviour. Sounds like a regular part of his match-routine. He also hurled his shoes into the crowd in his anger.
