It is safe to say Nick Kyrgios is the bad boy of tennis, and quite frankly it has become annoying. Match after match there is something different bothering the young Australian and it is leaving fans at their tether.
Australian Open Antics
His latest escapades at the Australian Open have even further escalated questions as to whether he will be able to tame his emotions before it is too late.
Snapping at umpires and calling them ‘the worst referee’ he has ever seen, answering his phone on court, whining that he is not wearing the proper shorts and complaining when he is two-sets-to-love in front is not what tennis is about.
Tennis is a gentlemen’s game and has carried that reputation for over a century now, and Kyrgios is single handedly taking that reputation to the graveyard.
Where it Began
It all began last year at the Australian Open when his behavior seemed out of character from the level headed teenager that made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon just six months earlier.
The Australian then turned heads at Wimbledon last year when he threatened not to play matches, smashed his rackets and even tanked a return game against Richard Gasquet. It was the beginning of a catastrophic reputation decline towards the end of 2015.
Sledging Stan
His biggest controversy was his sledge towards dual Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in Montreal last season when he said, “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend I’m sorry to tell you that mate.”
The statement implying that fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis had relations with Wawrinka’s girlfriend and WTA player Donna Vekic. It infuriated the tennis world and resulted in Kyrgios being fined with a backdated suspension should more controversies follow.
It has been a bumpy ride for the world number 30 since then, with the tennis world on edge to see what he will do next. It is becoming ridiculous that he cannot go through a single match without causing a disruption.
It will be a sad story if his emotions get the better of him, as his talent is unquestionable. He certainly has the capabilities to contend for Grand Slams but he needs to be able to keep his emotions in check like so many greats have done before him.
Luckily for Kyrgios, age is on his side, but fans, officials and players alike face a nervous wait as to whether he will be able to control his on court mischief. It is something that should have no place in the world of tennis.
