Nick Kyrgios loses it AGAIN as he’s docked a crucial point for wild outburst in loss at Houston ATP tournament – even though umpire confessed he BLEW the call: ‘I made a mistake’
- Kyrgios lost to American Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-5 at ATP event in Houston, Texas
- Was docked a crucial point late in the match due to an obscene outburst
- Umpire Joshua Brace later admitted the Australian was right about blown call
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios has had yet another meltdown over officiating at an American tournament – but this time even the umpire admitted he had a point.
The Australian lost to American Reilly Opelka in their semi-final of the ATP clay court event in Houston, Texas on Saturday local time after he lost a crucial game when he was docked a point after exploding over a blown call.
Kyrgios was hanging on at five-all in the second set after dropping the first 6-3 when the incident occurred.
The score was 30-all when he had a meltdown after Opelka’s return went over the baseline but wasn’t called out by umpire Joshua Brace.
‘It was f***king out of bounds on clay, how are you not calling it?’ Kyrgios exploded with anger after a blown call during a crucial point in his loss at the Houston ATP event
Kyrgios didn’t hold back as he lashed out at umpire Joshua Brace after he was docked a point for a second audible obscenity. Brace admitted he made a costly mistake
Kyrgios lost the next point with an unforced error, then was docked the point that cost him the game for a second audible obscenity.
‘What do you mean, you don’t know from there? Where are you supposed to see it from?’ he yelled at Brace. ‘It was out, bro!
‘He wins that point when the ball was out. What are you guys actually doing out here?’
‘If it was out, then I did miss it,’ Brace admitted.
‘Well, congratulations,’ Kyrgios replied.
He then loudly shouted ‘F***!’ after losing the following point, was docked and lost the game, at which point things went up several notches.
‘It was f***ing out of bounds on clay, how are you not calling it?’ Kyrgios bellowed.
The point that started the rot: Reilly Opelka (in the foreground) hits the return that should have been called out. Kyrgios never recovered his composure and lost 6-3, 7-5
The Aussie firebrand has played well in America but has also lashed out frequently, as he did here, smashing his racquet to bits at the Miami Open
‘It’s up to you guys to make that call. I can’t stop mid-point!’
‘I believe you now, I made a mistake,’ Brace replied.
‘Do you think it was a costly mistake?’ Kyrgios shot back.
Had Kyrgios won the match he would have made his first final in an ATP event since making the decider in Washington in 2019.
The drama came after the Aussie was fined a total of $80,000 for losing his cool in the recent Indian Wells and Miami tournaments.
His most memorable blow-up occurred at Indian Wells last month, when he roped Hollywood star Ben Stiller into an argument with a fan sitting courtside during his loss to Rafael Nadal.
Ben Stiller (pictured next to his wife Christine Taylor) got roped into a hilarious Kyrgios outburst as he lost to Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells
‘Don’t tell me how to play,’ he told the heckler, before pointing to Stiller as he sat in the front row with his wife Christine Taylor and saying, ‘Do I tell him now to act? No.’
When Stiller replied to one of Kyrgios’ social media posts about the incident, the Aussie asked him for a movie role.
‘Maybe we can start working on the next film together, I think I got some acting in me,’ he wrote ‘How is your tennis?’
‘I could use some help with my serve but maybe a new doubles team? We can discuss it on set,’ came Stiller’s reply.
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