Last week, we asked a question in one of our articles, 'Have Kyrgios' antics gone too far?', and this week, we're answering it: Yes.

During the second round match between Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios at the Rogers Cup, the Australian bad boy crossed the line. In the midst of the second set, Kyrgios said 'Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that, mate.' In the first set, Kyrgios could also be heard muttering 'banging an 18-year old.' There's no shortage of outbreaks from Kyrgios, but this incident, bringing a player's private life on court, is by far the most dire, and frankly unacceptable.

The reference is rumored to be towards Croatian rising star Donna Vekic, who has been linked to Stan Wawrinka since his separation from his wife. Regardless of the mechanics behind the accusation, it is not a matter that should be brought onto the court.

Wawrinka remained calm and ignored the claim on court, but it was visible that he was fuming by the end of the match. He retired in the third set with a back injury, but did shake hands with Kyrgios. His professionalism was apparent, and continued after the match, as the Swiss posted a series of tweets, expressing what was on everybody's mind after the incident. (via @stanwawrinka)

In the post match press conference, Wawrinka speaking to journalists in French, said that he confronted Kyrgios in the locker room after the match, but the Australian tried to avoid him. “It stays in the locker room." was all that the two-time Grand Slam champion said of their behind-the-scenes exchange.

When asked about the incident on court after the match, Kyrgios failed to apologize, and instead, said that, “He [Stan] was getting a bit lippy with me. Kind of in the heat of the moment. I don’t know. I just said it.

What Happens Next?

The incident confirmed that Kyrgios has crossed the line. His behavior is often frowned upon, but this time, it is utterly inexcusable. He is single handedly tarnishing not only his reputation, but the values tennis is built upon. Even though smashing a tennis racket is not regarded as a good thing, it is harmless, but when other players are involved in a private issue carelessly made public, that's when matters get more serious.

Kyrgios', a role model to young fans, needs to change before matters get worse. The ATP have come under criticism for being too lenient, even after the incident last night. If they correctly dealt with his inappropriate behavior, that is incredibly frequent, maybe the 20-year-old would have learnt his lesson by now. The ATP have fined Kyrgios for what they explain was an 'insulting remark', but will just a fine really make Kyrgios change his behavior? Probably not.

Integrity, respect and dignity are vital aspects of our sport, and when they are abused, action needs to take place. Many urge the ATP to take further action, and ban him from a number of tournaments. The reason why the remark has caused so much backlash, is because it comes after so many previous frowned upon actions that weren't dealt with. What happened was simply appaling, and many fans were embarrased to be associated with a sport that promotes offenders like Kyrgios. It's difficult to put into words how disappointed fans and players of our sport were. The backlash on social media, with many players speaking out, showed just how far the Australian had crossed the line.

Kyrgios clearly does not regard sportsmanship as a necessary aspect of the sport, which is a sad state of affairs. The reaction has been mostly shock, but also disappointment, as the man that is regarded as the future of tennis abuses it's values so carelessly. Nick Kyrgios is not a character, he is a fool who is tarnishing our sport as we speak.

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