Top
Nick Kyrgios Australian Open 2022
ATP Tennis Players, Australian Open, Nick Kyrgios, Tennis News

Opponent’s coach threatened to fight Nick Kyrgios after Australian Open victory


It has been revealed that a Croatian fitness trainer offered to fight Nick Kyrgios in the players gym after Kyrgios and Kokkinakis shocked Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic at the Australian Open. 

The world’s top ranked doubles partnership Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic were surprisingly knocked out of the Australian Open in the second round to home icons Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis. The Australian duo overcame the Croatians 7-6 (10-8), 6-3.

During the match, Kyrgios accidentally struck one of his Croatian counterparts after a short ball. Former US Open and Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippousis clarified the incident on Channel Nine and said Kyrgios had every right to play the shot.

Philippousis said “in doubles, you’re playing good doubles players with great hands.

“If you get a short ball, you’re going straight for the guy at the net. You say sorry, you might not mean it, but you say sorry. That’s the play, you go straight for them.”

After the match ended and the players went back to their respective locker rooms, tempers flared when a fitness coach on the Croatian team threatened to fight Kyrgios in the players gym.

Also speaking on Channel Nine, former player-turned-pundit Sam Groth said “we were trying to chase these guys (Mektic and Pavic) up for an interview late last night after the doubles, [but] they got out of here pretty quickly.

“But Thanasi [Kokkinakis] actually messaged me as it was happening and said Nick got accosted in the locker room by Pavic’s fitness trainer and [they] obviously weren’t very happy.

“They’re the number one team in the world, the number one seeds going down against Thanasi and Nick.

“They didn’t accept what was going on with the crowd, didn’t accept what was going on with Nick and I think it’s a little bit soft.

“To take it off the court into the locker room, and not even from the players. From someone from the team, it’s not necessary,” Groth concluded.

🎾 Read >> Breaking tennis news

🎾 Follow >> 24/7 LIVE scores

🎾 Free >> Receive our legendary newsletter

🎾 Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club

🎾 Social >>Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube

🎾 Order >> World’s best tennis magazine

🎾 Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted retail partner


By
0

Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.