Stefanos Tsitsipas has reopened his spat with Nick Kyrgios by branding the Aussie’s approach to tennis “uneducated” in new episodes of the Netflix tennis series. And the Greek star claimed: “Tennis is a gentleman’s sport, it’s all about respect. We are not playing basketball.”
The pair collided in a bad-tempered clash in the Wimbledon third round last year when both players were hit with code violations before Kyrgios prevailed in four sets. The controversial Aussie, who often walks onto court and practises in NBA gear, went on to reach the final.
Tsitsipas said on Break Point: “He has brought that NBA basketball attitude to tennis. I would describe it as an uneducated approach of playing tennis. But you know tennis is a gentleman’s sport, it’s all about respect. We are not playing basketball. I feel he was trying to destroy my rhythm. He kept putting his towel in my box.
“There was zero respect coming out of my opponent that day. He kept pressing my buttons none stop – and of course I got annoyed. He just loves attention. And if he gets none of that, it is complete destruction.”
Tsitsipas risked disqualification when he angrily hit a ball into the crowd – and then received a point penalty when he wildly smashed an underarm Kyrgios serve against the back wall. The Aussie called on French umpire Damien Dumusois to default his opponent – and branded him a “disgrace” for refusing. The No 4 seed Tsitsipas admitted to Netflix: “It was too much for me. All that anger built up so much.
“It was a great match to win but unfortunately it got turned into a silly circus show. I am very sorry that it escalated that way. I ended up getting angry.” Kyrgios recalled: “It was an insane match. The tennis world painted me as this crazy villain. But I love that. I thrive in those moments. I thrive in the chaos. I love to see when my opponent is more focused on me than the tennis.”
He is then shown walking towards the media centre saying: “I cannot wait for this press conference.” In his press conference, Tsitsipas claimed: “It is constant bullying. That is what he does. He was probably a bully at school himself. You don’t know what is behind it. I don’t like bullies.”
Kyrgios responded: “I am not sure how I bullied him. For him to come in here and say I bullied him, that is just soft. We are not cut from the same cloth. Everything I did worked. I am not going out there to be his friend and say: ‘Beautiful shot Stefanos.’ I am just going to be myself.”
In a later scene, Kyrgios was looking at the social media reaction to the match while travelling in a taxi with girlfriend Costeen Hatzi. She asks: “Is your phone blowing up?” And Kyrgios responds: “Yes. I don’t want to look at it to be honest. Seeing these comments and they stay with me. It is nuts, crazy.”
Later watching the quarter-final between Rafa Nadal and Taylor Fritz, Hatzi says: “You would rather play Rafa?” And Kyrgios responded: “Yes honestly. I have beaten him here before – I feel confident.”
Teenage Kyrgios, then ranked world No 144, shot to fame in 2014 following his shock SW19 win over the Spaniard. After losing to Novak Djokovic in the final, Kygios said: “I definitely feel more loved and appreciated. I felt like I belong now.”
Break Point is aimed at taking the sport to a new, younger audience after the runaway success of Drive to Survive for Formula One. Five new episodes of Netflix’s Break Point will be available on Wednesday June 21.
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