Cranky Kyrgios can’t keep cool in Shanghai
NICK Kyrgios’ verbal jousts with umpires has become a major distraction from his success, with another long-running series of arguments with an official in the chair marring his latest loss.
Kyrgios, now ranked third among Australian men, suffered a second consecutive loss in Asia, to American qualifier Bradley Klahn at the Shanghai Masters on Monday, while chipping umpire Damien Dumusois repeatedly during the second set.
He attracted criticism again for his consistency of efforts and his body language, checking his phone as he walked off court at the end of a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Klahn, ranked No.104.
Australia’s new top-ranked man, 19-year-old Alex de Minaur, characteristically let his racquet do the talking in Shanghai yesterday, putting Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil away 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). In Shanghai two years ago, Kyrgios was fined $US50,000 and suspended for the rest of the 2016 season for not trying his best in a match, during which he argued with an umpire and a spectator.
Kyrgios took offence when Dumusois firstly told him his effort when aced on a point in the third game of the second set was a “borderline” effort.
Kyrgios told Dumusois he “had no right” to make the comment to him. “Look at the score (40-15 to Klahn). Maybe it’s my tactic,” he said.
At a later changeover, Kyrios said the umpire had said “poor”, as well as borderline.
“Take it however you want,” Dumusois said. “You know exactly what I meant.”
Kyrgios replied: “Why me not him? I’ve seen him get aced too.” On winning a point in still another game, Kygrios, asked the umpire if that point had been “borderline”.
“You know I could literally just go to the ATP office and say I felt put down from your comment and you’d be in trouble, right?” Kyrgios said.
Dumusois told Kyrgios he should complain to the ATP if he wanted.
Former Australian Davis Cup winner Todd Woodbridge said Kyrgios was singled out by umpires.
“It’s interesting when you watch him, the umpires are watching him more closely than generally they watch the other end,” Woodbridge said.
“A little bit of that has been brought on by himself – it’s fair to say he gets engaged a little too often.”