Kyrgios wins Wimbledon clash with Tsitsipas
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Nick Kyrgios came from behind to win a heated encounter against Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon on Saturday after demanding his opponent be sent off for kicking a ball into the crowd.
The Mercurial Aussie won 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in a third-round match in which both players were warned by the referee.
After sealing the victory in a thrilling fourth-set tie-break, Kyrgios said: "The media loves to write that I'm bad for the sport, but I clearly am not.
“Whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. I am very close to his brothers.
"I felt like the favorite. I beat him a few weeks ago and he only beat me once. He got frustrated, it's a sport frustrating. No matter what, I love it."
There were few hints of the drama to come when Greece's fourth seed, Tsitsipas, won the first set after a tie-break.
But the match descended into chaos when a frustrated Tsitsipas fired the ball into the crowd after losing the second set, for which he received a caution.
Kyrgios said Tsitsipas should be kicked out of Wimbledon, recalling the incident at the US Open in 2020 when Novak Djokovic was kicked out of the tournament after hitting a linesman with a ball.
In stunning scenes, the Aussie called the referee a 'shame', demanding to speak to supervisors and saying he wouldn't continue until the situation was resolved.
"You can't hit a ball into the crowd and hit someone without getting fired," he said.
At that point, Tsitsipas walked off the pitch but returned to boos in an increasingly volatile atmosphere on Court One.
The Australian, who received an obscenity warning, continued to argue with the referee during the substitutions, saying, in reference to the incident: "If it's a little girl, she's crying, what's going on?"
Kyrgios, now in the lead against a clearly shaken Tsitsipas, broke in the fourth game of the third set and held on to take a 2-1 lead.
Tsitsipas was given another code violation and a point deduction for hitting the ball in frustration deep downfield after an underarm serve from Kyrgios.
The fourth seed then fell 0-40 on her serve early in the fourth set to recover and win the match.
Tsitsipas saved more break points in game seven and looked set to be on the verge of a crucial break in the next game, but Kyrgios battled out of trouble to equalize at 4-4.
The game was then suspended for the roof to be closed.
The fourth set ended in a nervous tie-break.
Tsitsipas had scored to equalize in the match but it was Kyrgios who won 9-7.
AFP
Please share this story:
Nick Kyrgios came from behind to win a heated encounter against Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon on Saturday after demanding his opponent be sent off for kicking a ball into the crowd.
The Mercurial Aussie won 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in a third-round match in which both players were warned by the referee.
After sealing the victory in a thrilling fourth-set tie-break, Kyrgios said: "The media loves to write that I'm bad for the sport, but I clearly am not.
“Whatever happens on the pitch stays on the pitch. I am very close to his brothers.
"I felt like the favorite. I beat him a few weeks ago and he only beat me once. He got frustrated, it's a sport frustrating. No matter what, I love it."
There were few hints of the drama to come when Greece's fourth seed, Tsitsipas, won the first set after a tie-break.
But the match descended into chaos when a frustrated Tsitsipas fired the ball into the crowd after losing the second set, for which he received a caution.
Kyrgios said Tsitsipas should be kicked out of Wimbledon, recalling the incident at the US Open in 2020 when Novak Djokovic was kicked out of the tournament after hitting a linesman with a ball.
In stunning scenes, the Aussie called the referee a 'shame', demanding to speak to supervisors and saying he wouldn't continue until the situation was resolved.
"You can't hit a ball into the crowd and hit someone without getting fired," he said.
At that point, Tsitsipas walked off the pitch but returned to boos in an increasingly volatile atmosphere on Court One.
The Australian, who received an obscenity warning, continued to argue with the referee during the substitutions, saying, in reference to the incident: "If it's a little girl, she's crying, what's going on?"
Kyrgios, now in the lead against a clearly shaken Tsitsipas, broke in the fourth game of the third set and held on to take a 2-1 lead.
Tsitsipas was given another code violation and a point deduction for hitting the ball in frustration deep downfield after an underarm serve from Kyrgios.
The fourth seed then fell 0-40 on her serve early in the fourth set to recover and win the match.
Tsitsipas saved more break points in game seven and looked set to be on the verge of a crucial break in the next game, but Kyrgios battled out of trouble to equalize at 4-4.
The game was then suspended for the roof to be closed.
The fourth set ended in a nervous tie-break.
Tsitsipas had scored to equalize in the match but it was Kyrgios who won 9-7.
AFP
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