Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash ripped into Nick Kyrgios with some blistering commentary on Sunday.
Cash is an analyst for BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon and called Saturday’s third-round match between Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Kyrgios won in four sets, but both players drew attention because of the match’s circus-like atmosphere.
Kyrgios was doing more than his usual dose of talking to umpires and even called an official a “disgrace.” Kyrgios got in Tsitsipas’ head, as the Greek player fired a ball into the stands, off the scoreboard, and aimed a few balls at his opponent.
The match brought out the worst in Tsitsipas, and both players ended up being fined.
“He’s brought tennis to the lowest level I can see as far as gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behaviour to umpires, to linesmen,” Cash said on BBC radio Sunday, regarding Kyrgios.
“He was lucky to even get through the first set. He should have been defaulted in the first set.”
Cash thinks that Kyrgios’ behavior needs to be curbed.
“Something’s got to be done about it. It’s just an absolute circus.
“Is it entertaining? Yeah, possibly. It’s gone to the absolute limit now.”
Kyrgios was fined $4K for an “audible obscenity” during the match. Kyrgios was also fined earlier in the tournament for spitting in the direction of a fan. Tsitsipas was fined $10K for unsportsmanlike behavior.
Cash said that Kyrgios’ behavior had “gone too far.”
Tsitsipas said after the match that Kyrgios had bully-like behavior. Kyrgios said Tsitsipas was “soft.”
As for Cash, the 57-year-old Australian had no love for his fellow Aussie. Cash ascended to as high as No. 4 during his career. His victory at Wimbledon in 1987 was his lone major win. He won six events during his career and reached the finals of the Australian Open twice.
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