Tennis hotspur Nick Kyrgios caused a stir at the US Open. During his second-round win against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, the Australian spat onto the pitch and received a warning as a result. The right-hander had previously complained to the referee about the smell of marijuana.
Nick Kyrgios is through to the third round at the US Open in New York. In his second match at the fourth Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Wimbledon finalist defeated Benjamin Bonzi 7: 6 (7: 3), 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 4. However, the four-set victory was not without incident.
After Kyrgios conceded a break in the third round when the score was 4: 4, the 27-year-old lost control and spat on the pitch. In addition, Kyrgios scolded loudly. The anger was apparently directed against their own box. “Go home if you don’t support me, you’re not a damn spectator,” complained the tennis star. However, it was unclear who the words were aimed at.
Kyrgios complains about marijuana smell
Kyrgios was warned by the referee for his behavior, although the Australian wanted to explain that the anger was directed at himself and not the spectators. Kyrgios was then unable to bend the third set. In the fourth round, the number 25 in the world tennis rankings made everything clear and booked his ticket for the third round of the tournament. There the right-hander meets the American Jeffrey Wolf.
Already in the second set, Kyrgios had complained to the referee about the smell of marijuana. “It was marijuana. It was smoke. Of course I’m not going to complain about food. When athletes walk from side to side and have asthma, that’s probably not ideal,” said the player, who has asthma himself.
How far does Kyrgios get at the US Open?
At the US Open, Kyrgios wants to reach the second Grand Slam final in a row. In Wimbledon, the tennis professional lost in the final against Novak Djokovic, who cannot start in New York due to a lack of vaccination against the corona virus.
Until the final, Kyrgios still has to overcome a few hurdles at the US Open and, above all, keep his nerve.