Aussie tennis great slams Nick Kyrgios for his ‘constant abuse of people who love you’ after bad boy lost the plot and yelled at partner Costeen and his sister in loss to Novak Djokovic
- Grand slam winner Rennae Stubbs was disgusted with Kyrgios’ outbursts
- Star repeatedly yelled at support crew in his player’s box, including his sister
- Kyrgios first let them have it when his serve was broken in the second set
Australian grand slam winner Rennae Stubbs has lashed out at Nick Kyrgios after he kept yelling at his support team during his loss to Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon early on Sunday morning.
The former Wimbledon, Australian Open and US Open doubles champion branded the 27-year-old’s behaviour ‘constant abuse’ and ‘beyond ridiculous’ after he repeatedly screamed at the people in his player’s box – including girlfriend Costeen Hatzi and his sister Halimah – during his four-set defeat.
Kyrgios kept his temper in check until his serve was broken for the first time during the second set, at which point he yelled at his support crew, ‘Why didn’t you say something? Does it get any bigger or what?
‘Well done, guys. I can’t do anything. Do you f***ing care or what?’
Kyrgios vented his frustration on those closest to him, including his sister Halimah and girlfriend Costeen Hatzi, during his four-set loss
At one stage the Aussie yelled at his supporters, ‘Do you f***ing care or what?’
He followed that up later in the set after he held three break points on Djokovic’s serve but lost them all. ‘Say something!’ he barked. ‘It’s love-40. Goddamn! It’s love-40!’
The outbursts continued in the third set as Kyrgios gave his opponent a 5-4 lead and said, ‘Why do you stop? Forty-love, 40-15 and you just relax? Why?’
Stubbs took to Twitter to share her outrage at what she was hearing.’
‘Honestly, this behaviour of yelling at your box because they aren’t doing what u want, is actually beyond ridiculous,’ she wrote. ‘THEY CAN’T READ YOUR MIND!
His outbursts dismayed Aussie grand slam winner Rennae Stubbs (pictured), who branded his verbal barrages ‘constant abuse’
‘Yes, this is his way of dealing with pressure, I get it but this is straight up constant abuse to people that love you, it’s embarrassing.’
She followed that up with a subsequent tweet that read: ‘Walk out of the box!!! You do realize that those people can’t do anything, right?’
Stubbs’ comments were met with a mixed reaction from tennis fans.
‘I’m sure they know exactly what’s going to happen and won’t take offence from it, they know it helps him having people to vent at and they would rather it be at them than at the umpire/crowd,’ wrote Joe Ridings.
‘So if Nick’s player box doesn’t have a problem with it … why should you?’ asked SJ Willow.
‘You’d have to be a sucker for punishment to accept an invitation to sit in Kyrgios’ player’s box,’ wrote Channel Seven sports commentator Andy Maher.
Kyrgios’ support crew in his player box included his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi (right) and sister Halimah (left)
The star has often credited Costeen (pictured together) with being a rock of support for him
‘If Nick Kyrgios offered you a spot in his player’s box you’d have to say ‘no’. All that stress and abuse; worst seat in the house,’ commented Bruce Guthrie.
Kyrgios was in a completely different frame of mind straight after the loss, paying respect to opponent, the match officials and the ball boys and girls as he spoke to the crowd on centre court – but he didn’t exactly thank his support crew.
‘Myself, my team, I think were are all exhausted,’ he said. ‘We played so much tennis. I definitely need a well-earned vacation after this one.’
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