In the dynamic world of tennis, rivalries are not uncommon, but few are as notorious as the heated feud between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas that unfolded at Wimbledon in 2022. What began as a friendly relationship from their early days on the tennis circuit took a sour turn during a fourth-set clash that was marked by controversy, protests, and a near miss with a spectator.
The match, held at Court 1, witnessed Kyrgios relentlessly protesting decisions to the chair umpire, visibly irking his Greek opponent, Tsitsipas. Tempers flared, and the tension reached a boiling point when Tsitsipas, frustrated after dropping a crucial set, smacked a ball into the crowd, narrowly avoiding hitting a spectator. The incident escalated the animosity between the two players.
Kyrgios, often labeled as the ‘bad boy of tennis,’ demanded that Tsitsipas be defaulted for his on-court behavior. The Australian player insisted that the match was marred by controversy and ill will, further fueling the intensity of their feud. Fast forward two years, and Kyrgios appears to be making an effort to mend fences with his Greek colleague.
In a recent Instagram live session, a fan attempted to provoke Kyrgios by mocking Tsitsipas, asking when he would “smack Sh*tsipas.” However, Kyrgios surprised many with his candid response, defending Tsitsipas by saying, “His name is Stefanos Tsitsipas, and he is a terrific player.” This unexpected show of support contrasts sharply with the bitter exchanges and name-calling that characterized their past interactions.
The reconciliation attempt comes after Tsitsipas labeled Kyrgios as the ‘clown’ during their Wimbledon encounter. Tsitsipas defended himself, asserting that he was merely trying to compete while Kyrgios played the clown. He added, “It also depends on how he wakes up each day.” Kyrgios, not one to back down, took to social media to respond to Tsitsipas’s remarks.
In a tweet, Kyrgios countered, “Right… this the match he hit someone in the crowd… belted another ball out of the stadium and got taught a lesson in front of another full stadium…” According to Kyrgios, it was Tsitsipas who was in the wrong during their match, nearly hitting a spectator in the crowd with his aggressive shot.
Right….. this the match he hit someone in the crowd….. belted another ball out of the stadium and got taught a lesson in front of another full stadium….. https://t.co/NU5Hs6Al0S
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) February 4, 2023
The Wimbledon clash resulted in hefty fines for both players, with Kyrgios paying over $5000 and Tsitsipas slapped with more than $15,000 for their respective behaviors. As the tennis world watches their interactions both on and off the court, it remains to be seen whether this recent defense by Kyrgios signifies a genuine thawing of tensions or is merely a temporary detente in their ongoing rivalry.
Nick Kyrgios in 2024
At the moment ranked no.470, Kyrgios played his last match on the 13th of June 2023 when he was overcome by world no.139 Yibing Wu 7-5 6-3 in the 1st round in Stuttgart (draw).
During this season the Australian has managed to achieve a 0-1 match record.
Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2024
Now the world no.10, the Greek played his last match on the 3rd of February when he beat world no.284 Marius Copil 6-3 6-4 in the Rubber 1 of the Davis Cup (draw).
Presently, during this year the Greek has a compiled 5-2 win-loss record.
Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas clashed against each other 5 times. Their current head to head is 4-1 for Kyrgios. The last time they competed against each other, Nick Kyrgios won 6-7(2) 6-4 6-3 7-6(7) in the 3rd round in London (Wimbledon) in July 2022.
Here the video highlights.
Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas |
| Embed from Getty Images |
