Nick Kyrgios has lashed tennis greats and “irrelevant” critics in an explosive precursor to his US Open title tilt in New York.
Kyrgios lit up social media after taking offence to The Tennis Channel posting a comment “You never know what to expect when it comes to @NickKyrgios. Will he boom or bust this tournament??”
The remarks accompanied footage of former world No.1s Jim Courier and Martina Navratilova discussing Kyrgios’s prospects at the last grand slam of the year.
Courier and Navratilova both addressed Kyrgios’s conduct, after he was fined $US113,000 (USA167,000) this month for his extraordinary meltdown in Cincinnati, where he branded chair umpire Fergus Murphy a “f****ng tool” and a “potato”.
But Kyrgios made it clear he had no time for the pundits’ opinions, dubbing The Tennis Channel segment “absolute garbage” that featured “the worst content I’ve ever seen”.
“People that are irrelevant in my personal life are trying to make comments on my personal character. Well done ??” he tweeted.
Navratilova said Kyrgios needed help.
“There’s no question he needs some help. That’s definitely above our pay grade. Mentally, he needs some help,” said the 18-times major winner.
“I would like for him to do his talking with his racquet rather than breaking them and rather than with his mouth. He needs to start winning matches, then he can talk.
“We can’t give a moral pass to someone just because they are potentially a great tennis player.”
Courier, a two-time Australian Open champion, said Kyrgios had done well to land two titles in 2019, but questioned what was going on inside his head.
“He also continues to struggle emotionally and I think we need to spare a little bit of a thought for him,” Courier said.
“Definitely not condoning his behaviour. Does he need some mental health help? Is it actually something that is medical? We don’t know the answer to that.
“He’s a guy who polarises and he can play some electric tennis but, man, it’s been tough to watch at times.”
Kyrgios will open his campaign at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday night against American Steve Johnson.