Nick Kyrgios' spat with Mats Wilander has led to friction between the Canberran and another men's tennis star, Karen Khachanov.
This week Kyrgios took aim at Wilander to defend his friend Andy Murray, after the seven-time major winner criticised the Scotsman following his heavy first-round French Open defeat to Stan Wawrinka.
The 6-1 6-3 6-2 loss equalled Murray's worst from 237 grand slam matches. As he attempts his comeback from hip surgery, Wilander said Murray was selfish for taking the wildcard entry to Roland Garros.
But after an impassioned defence of Murray on Twitter, Kyrgios attracted criticism of his own from world No.16, Khachanov.
Earlier this year Kyrgios beat Khachanov in one of the best matches of the Australian Open, overcoming the Russian star in five tough sets, 6-2 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-6 to advance to the fourth round, where he lost an absorbing clash with Rafael Nadal.
"Nick, come on mate," Khachanov tweeted in reply to Kyrgios' dig at Wilander.
"It's too much... show some respect."
The Aussie did not back down.
"Nah I'm good dude. Muzz and I respect each other, and if someone starts talking about one of mine then I'll come at them. I'm supposed to respect Mats? For what? Hitting a ball over the net? I don't give my respect for that," Kyrgios tweeted back.
"Bro it's your call," Khachanov replied. "I really think you are a good lad and I don't have any problem with you. But once you are sitting at home and writing different comments about players that makes me think who has the real problem."
https://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1310588774880026625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1310863186036432901?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThen the argument between the pair got a bit more personal.
"So you think what the players did during this pandemic was smart?" Kyrgios tweeted.
"I'd love to have an intellectual conversation with you but I'm not sure it would go further than how hard you could hit a ball. I've simply been holding people accountable."
The Russian quickly fired back.
"Next time before talking about my intellect read at least a few books, instead or playing video games [the] whole day long," Khachanov said.
https://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1311244312936624129?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwKyrgios defended himself by pointing to the work he has done in the ACT during his time off from the tour, including providing tennis racquets to Canberra kids as part of a tennis program at schools there.
"I've also been feeding the hungry, helping open up new facilities for kids to get active. But way to do your research you absolute pelican," Kyrgios told Khachanov.
https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1311249302400847872https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1311248013914898433Wilander is not the only tennis legend Kyrgios has butted heads with in the last year.
Boris Becker and Kyrgios have an ongoing beef that began when the German tennis legend called the Aussie a "rat" for criticising the antics of Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic after the doomed Adria Tour which prematurely ended after a coronavirus outbreak.
Kyrgios' outspoken stance against tennis players' behaviour during the pandemic also earned him the ire of fellow tour player Borna Coric.
This past week Becker and Kyrgios again clashed when Becker took aim at an Instagram post by Kyrgios.
"He's gone from wanting to coach me, obviously for his desperate need of a pay check [sic], to hating on my Instagram. Strange world we live in," Kyrgios responded.
Nick Kyrgios' spat with Mats Wilander has led to friction between the Canberran and another men's tennis star, Karen Khachanov.
This week Kyrgios took aim at Wilander to defend his friend Andy Murray, after the seven-time major winner criticised the Scotsman following his heavy first-round French Open defeat to Stan Wawrinka.
The 6-1 6-3 6-2 loss equalled Murray's worst from 237 grand slam matches. As he attempts his comeback from hip surgery, Wilander said Murray was selfish for taking the wildcard entry to Roland Garros.
But after an impassioned defence of Murray on Twitter, Kyrgios attracted criticism of his own from world No.16, Khachanov.
Earlier this year Kyrgios beat Khachanov in one of the best matches of the Australian Open, overcoming the Russian star in five tough sets, 6-2 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-6 to advance to the fourth round, where he lost an absorbing clash with Rafael Nadal.
"Nick, come on mate," Khachanov tweeted in reply to Kyrgios' dig at Wilander.
"It's too much... show some respect."
The Aussie did not back down.
"Nah I'm good dude. Muzz and I respect each other, and if someone starts talking about one of mine then I'll come at them. I'm supposed to respect Mats? For what? Hitting a ball over the net? I don't give my respect for that," Kyrgios tweeted back.
"Bro it's your call," Khachanov replied. "I really think you are a good lad and I don't have any problem with you. But once you are sitting at home and writing different comments about players that makes me think who has the real problem."
https://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1310588774880026625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1310863186036432901?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThen the argument between the pair got a bit more personal.
"So you think what the players did during this pandemic was smart?" Kyrgios tweeted.
"I'd love to have an intellectual conversation with you but I'm not sure it would go further than how hard you could hit a ball. I've simply been holding people accountable."
The Russian quickly fired back.
"Next time before talking about my intellect read at least a few books, instead or playing video games [the] whole day long," Khachanov said.
https://twitter.com/karenkhachanov/status/1311244312936624129?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwKyrgios defended himself by pointing to the work he has done in the ACT during his time off from the tour, including providing tennis racquets to Canberra kids as part of a tennis program at schools there.
"I've also been feeding the hungry, helping open up new facilities for kids to get active. But way to do your research you absolute pelican," Kyrgios told Khachanov.
https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1311249302400847872https://twitter.com/NickKyrgios/status/1311248013914898433Wilander is not the only tennis legend Kyrgios has butted heads with in the last year.
Boris Becker and Kyrgios have an ongoing beef that began when the German tennis legend called the Aussie a "rat" for criticising the antics of Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic after the doomed Adria Tour which prematurely ended after a coronavirus outbreak.
Kyrgios' outspoken stance against tennis players' behaviour during the pandemic also earned him the ire of fellow tour player Borna Coric.
This past week Becker and Kyrgios again clashed when Becker took aim at an Instagram post by Kyrgios.
"He's gone from wanting to coach me, obviously for his desperate need of a pay check [sic], to hating on my Instagram. Strange world we live in," Kyrgios responded.
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