More Kyrgios strife

FOR the third year in a row, Nick Kyrgios is the talking point of the Shangåhai Masters for all the wrong reasons.

Deposed by Alex de Minaur this week as Australian No.1, Kyrgios argued with umpire Damien Dumusois after he questioned Kyrgios’s effort during his 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 firstround loss to American qualifier Bradley Klahn yesterday.

In echoes of the US Open storm created by Mohammed Lahyani’s bid to inspire Kyrgios, the Frenchman told Kyrgios his disinterested approach in the second set was “really borderline”.

During prolonged exchanges between the pair, Kyrgios was heard saying, “I don’t care” and then told the umpire, “You have no right to tell me it’s poor”.

After one exchange, Kyrgios served four aces in a row. After one missile scorched past Klahn, Kyrgios barked: “Was that borderline poor?” Later Kyrgios said to Dumusois: “You know I literally could just go to the ATP office after this and say I felt put down from your comment and you’d be in trouble, right?

“I could literally just say I couldn’t play after that because I just felt put down.

“You realise that, right? I’m not going to do it, but I’m just saying.”

Kyrgios lost five games in a row from 4-all in the second set. Lahyani was suspended from his next two scheduled tournaments after trying to encourage Kyrgios when he trailed by a set and 3-0 against Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the US Open. Kyrgios ended up winning the match.

Kyrgios has been fined at the Shanghai Open in the past two years.