Pat Cash is not entertained by Nick Kyrgios’ antics.
The tennis legend slammed Kyrgios after the controversial Australian’s contentious third-round victory Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon. Kyrgios, who has a history of berating umpires and supporters in his player’s box, demanded that Tsitsipas be defaulted for swatting a ball into the crowd.
“It was absolute mayhem,” Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon champ and fellow Aussie, told BBC radio. “He’s brought tennis to the lowest level I can see as far as gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behavior to umpires, to linesmen.
“He was lucky to even get through the first set, he should have been defaulted in the first set. 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.”
Nick Kyrgios reacts during his Wimbledon match against Stefanos Tsitsipas.Getty Images
Pat Cash on July 3, 2022 at Wimbledon’s celebration of 100 years at Center Court.Offside via Getty ImagesKyrgios opened the Grand Slam by calling a lineswoman “a snitch” and spitting at a fan he accused of yelling racial obscenities. His outrageous behavior picked up again against his Greek rival in a match that ended with both players being fined.
According to News.com.au, Cash was asked to elaborate on what he meant by the “cheating” accusation against the 27-year-old Kyrgios.
“Tsitsipas would make a line call and he’d go up there and start complaining, he’d be in his face — that’s part of gamesmanship, that’s the sort of stuff he does and I think there’s a limit,” Cash said. “I have no problems with a bit of gamesmanship but when it gets to that level, I think it’s just out of control.
Nick Kyrgios during his win over Tsitsipas.Getty Images “As it was, the umpire lost control. The ball kids were running across the court as Kyrgios was serving, he didn’t slow down for any of that stuff. Tsitsipas got sucked right into it, so it was entertaining and fascinating, but for me it’s gone too far now.”
Kyrgios will play American Brandon Nakashima in the fourth round on Monday.
