Nick KYRGIOS (AUS) celebrates a point as he plays Dominic THIEM (AUT) on John Cain Arena during Day 5 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Friday, February 12, 2021. MANDATORY PHOTO CREDIT Tennis Australia/ SCOTT BARBOUR
Outspoken Aussie Nick Kyrgios has backtracked on comments calling for the Australian Open to be cancelled.
Kyrgios said yesterday it would not be “morally right” to let to force players to get vaccinated ahead of the Open.
Kyrgios has since taken a step back and said on his Instagram account he wanted to provide a “bit of clarity” about his comments.
“To say I would want the Australian Open cancelled, I think that was the sentence that got taken out of context,” Kyrgios said.
“It’s more so for the people of Melbourne, who have gone through hell and back. I think it’s been 275 days, nearly 300 days of lockdown, and your freedom has been taken away from you.”
Victoria’s Sports Minister, Martin Pakula, was confused by Kyrgios’s initial comments but reiterated that unvaccinated players would be banned from the Australian Open along with unvaccinated fans and staff.
“I really like Nick Kyrgios and I cheer for him every time he plays and I certainly don’t want to have beef with Nick Kyrgios but I actually couldn’t follow the logic of his comments,” Mr Pakula said on Tuesday.
Jack Draper will crack the ATP top 10 for the first time after the Brit defeated two-time…
Iga Swiatek switched to warp speed after rain delayed her fourth-round match by an hour,…
Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz ran his hot streak at the Indian Wells Masters to 14…
Aryna Sabalenka spent just an hour and a quarter in dispatching Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-1,…
Coco Gauff wasted five match points while double-faulting four times in the final game but managed…
Jack Draper used the confidence earned just weeks ago in Australia to power past Jensen Brooksby…