Twelve thousand people crowded the arena, bustling past one another and sneaking into closer seats to get a better view of the court. Tennis fans sat on the edge of their seats and children stretched their necks to see over the tall men sitting in front of them. The atmosphere was sizzling in the hot summer’s night, the much-anticipated third-round of the US Open men’s main draw was in full play.
Unfortunately for the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the night was cut short when Nick Kyrgios forfeited the match to Illya Marchenko at 1-2 sets down.
Kyrgios took the first set 6-4, and then proceeded to drop the next two 4-6, 1-6. At this point, the 14th seed decided to call it quits.
Kyrgios showed signs of trouble even in the opening games, flexing and pressing on his hip repeatedly. At 2-2 in the second set, the Australian number 1 sprinted to the net to reach a drop-shot, of which he spun a backhand winner cross-court. His momentum however, resulted in him toppling over next to the umpire’s chair and scraping a knee.
Undoubtedly, he had stretched his hip awkwardly in this maneouvre. Kyrgios called for a medical timeout after losing the second set and headed to the locker room to meet with a trainer.
Things didn’t pick up in the third. The Australian spent most of the final set slouching, barely moving between points and cursing to himself.
Kyrgios’ hip injury was not new to this match, as he states in an interview, ''My hip was bothering me my first two matches and I got through… I guess it was just a matter of time.''
Despite his efforts, Kyrgios received boo’s and groans from the crowd as he walked off the court. The Australian left the crowd unanimously disappointed as they filed out of the stadium.
There is no doubt that Kyrgios is talented. He first showcased his talent to the world when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the 2014 Wimbledon, proving that he truly has the skill and talent to beat anyone. Yet the young (21 year-old) star spends a majority of his time showing off, engaging in sidebar conversations and expressing his complete lack of interest in tennis.
During his third-round defeat by Richard Gasquet at the French Open, Kyrgios received a code violation and fine for audible obscenity for shouting at a ball boy.
He was also fined and given a 28-day ban by the Association of Tennis Professionals in 2015 for making a salacious remark about Stan Wawrinka’s girlfriend during a match.
Due to his profanities, Nick Kyrgios’ behaviour was on watch by the Australian Olympic Committee. The young athlete did not represent his country or compete in the Olympic Games, claiming “unfair and unjust treatment.”
Australia's Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller states, “I've said all along it's not just about winning on the court, it's how you go about it. If he thinks going along to the Olympic Games is wholly about winning - sure, we want everyone to win - but it's about behaviour on and off the court."
After losing to Andy Murray in Wimbledon 2016, Kyrgios expresses that he just “doesn’t love the sport.”
Television commentator and seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe did not approve of the young athlete’s behaviour on Saturday night. “Nick Kyrgios, if you don’t want to be a professional tennis player, do something else,” McEnroe told viewers. “He’s hurt because he’s not training enough.”
In his classic fashion, Kyrgios Tweets: "Not the way I wanted to end the last grand slam of the year. F**king sucks."
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