Nick Kyrgios has been fined $113,000 for his actions at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and could be banned from tennis.
The Australian player repeatedly clashed with Irish umpire Fergus Murphy en route to a 3-set defeat to Karen Khachanov of Russia.
It's the latest meltdown in the tempestuous career of the talented but troubled 24-year old.
Kyrgios was trucking along nicely in Cincinnati - he'd won the first set on a tie-break and was 5-4 up in the second, but then the war with Murphy began. Kyrgios claimed the official had started the shot-clock too early. He ranted at Murphy claiming Rafa Nadal wasn't the subject of similar actions.
Khachanov eventually won that second set on a tie-break, which resulted in Kyrgios screaming at Murphy calling him "THE WORST FUCKING REF EVER!". Kyrgios was then given a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct and a point penalty.
During the third set, Kyrgios took an impromptu bathroom break whose purpose was purely to destroy a pair of rackets.
A ‘bathroom break’, Nick Kyrgios style. pic.twitter.com/nLd5bxA79d
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) August 15, 2019
After Khachanov wrapped up the third set 6-2, thus winning the match, Kyrgios walked towards Murphy's chair but didn't shake the umpire's hand. He told Murphy, "you're a fucking tool, bro", and spat on the ground close to the umpire's chair.
The ATP broke down his $113,000 as follows:
- Ball Abuse (Warning)
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Point Penalty) – US$ 20,000 fine
- Leaving the Court – US$ 3,000 fine
- Audible Obscenity – US$ 5,000 fine
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct – US$ 5,000 fine
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct – US$ 20,000 fine
- Verbal Abuse – US$ 20,000 fine
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct – US$ 20,000 fine
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct – US$ 20,000 fine
The men's tour organisers haven't stopped there. They say they're looking further into what happened during and immediately after the match to see if additional action is required under the Player Major Offense (sic) section of their code.
Kyrgios could see that fine added to, or he could even be suspended from tennis.
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