It was a show. It was a circus. And it was a memorable tennis match between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas – with the better ending for the Australian.
Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas pushed the boundaries of fairness beyond recognition, spectators went wild – and referee Damien Dumusois struggled to stay in control. In a spectacular Wimbledon match between two players who had a deep dislike, Kyrgios prevailed 6: 7 (2: 7), 6: 4, 6: 3, 7: 6 (9: 7) and reached the round of 16 on Saturday evening.
Kyrgios was completely beside himself from the start
The 27-year-old Australian was completely upset from the start, cursing the linesman like a scamp and shouting across the pitch. Then the scene that made him explode: After a forearm serve, Tsitsipas (23) threw the ball into the audience in frustration and received a warning for it.
Kyrgios demanded more, he called the referee, when he made no other decision, he kept complaining. “Are you stupid?” he asked Dumusois: “You’re a disgrace, you change the rules as you want,” said the Australian.
Angry Tsitsipas loses his nerve
Tsitsipas reacted angrily and hit some balls brutally hard on Kyrgios’ body when he was on the net. Not the fine tennis kind at the posh All England Club. But the tournament account asked the fans on Twitter: “Don’t you feel entertained?” After hitting the ball again in the stands, Tsitsipas got a point penalty. The match degenerated into a circus game – including some grandiose lawn shots.