Nick Kyrgios earned an emotion-charged win as the Australian sparred not only with British neophyte opponent Paul Jubb but also with the chair umpire and rowdy detractors in the Court 3 crowd on Tuesday.
The colourful No. 45 said that copping abuse from spectators now seems to be part of the sport – one which even pierces his own fierce persona.
Kyrgios spoke out after defeating his wild card opponent 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-7(3), 7-5 and at the end spitting in the direction of a spectator who had insulted him during play.
“Just pure disrespect… like someone just yelled out I was shit in the crowd today.
“Is that normal? No. But I just don’t understand why it’s happening over and over again.”
While the abuse was not racial – as it was in a heated exchange this month in Stuttgart – Kyrgios said the situation was far from pleasant.
“Everyone is so quick to just negatively put their energy on someone else. And there’s no real consequences,” he said.
“You can just bash someone on social media and there’s no real consequence.
“Whether it’s racial abuse or just disrespect, it’s acceptable – but why is that acceptable?”
The 27-year-old was called out by a line judge on the backcourt for an unknown offense, with the busybody officials rushing to the chair umpire and “reporting” some wrongdoing.
“I didn’t do anything and she went to the umpire and told her something that I didn’t say. That’s called whistleblowing.”
Kyrgios cannot help but wonder: what is the point as no offense actually occurred. Meanwhile, he said, the chair umpire can just forget anything even happened while he cops constant abuse.
“It’s disgusting some of the things I deal with. Like my brother has alopecia, and they joke about him being a cancer patient.
“I doubt the umpires are dealing with that.”
The Aussie added, to prove his point: ” I could just show you my Instagram versus an umpire’s Instagram.
“Do you think they would be dealing with the same amount of hate?”
