Former doubles champion Todd Woodbridge says he can understand Michael Venus’ frustration following the No.6 seed’s elimination from the Australian Open at the hands of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis will play in the Australian Open semi-finals this afternoon following the tense and at times fiery encounter against Venus and his German partner Tim Putz.
Venus didn’t hold back when asked about the crowd’s input during the match and Kyrgios’ overall behaviour in the quarter-final, calling the world No.113 a “knob”.
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Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ The Morning Serve, Woodbridge said “some people would agree” with Venus.
“I feel like I enjoyed what Michael delivered out there. Nick wants to be the ringmaster of his circus and that’s what some people have called it. I thought it was entertaining. It was quality tennis,” Woodbridge said.
“When Michael stood back to him and said ‘hold on we’re not going to let you control this whole show I’m going to challenge you’, that was good tennis, and I think he showed good spirit.
“And yes, he didn’t like the crowd. All in all, he’s (Kyrgios) part of the sport the way that it hasn’t been showcased over the years and I think that is really important. You know what he needs to do? The next time he goes out and plays Nick he has to beat him.”
Former Davis Cup player Sam Groth was a little less diplomatic in response to Venus’ objections.
“Well, he’s doing it from New Zealand, he’s not doing it here at Melbourne Park because he lost in the tournament,” Groth said on Nine.
“So, you know, throw barbs but you’re out of the tournament. Sorry Michael, I like you a lot but, you know, there’s a time and a place.
“I get it, the crowd is rowdy, Nick’s rowdy, but you were giving it back, you were part of it, you were in that battle. I’m not convinced that was the right way to go.”
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Groth said Kyrgios wouldn’t be too concerned by Venus’ comments, with the 26-year-old deliberately using the crowd as a tactic.
“I’m not sure if Nick’s going to be too worried about it to be honest. I like Michael, I’ve known Michael for a long, long time, but he’s obviously and understandably a little bit bitter about the way things went down,” he said.
Speaking to New Zealand publication 1News, Venus described the scenes on Rod Laver Arena as a “circus”.
“It felt like a circus out there, and not really a tennis match,” he said.
“Between serves, [they were] geeing the crowd up and getting them to cheer at times like that. I don’t think that’s really on.
“You know if it’s on the other foot, old mate [Kyrgios] would have flipped his lid.
“He already did get mad there by himself. It’s amazing, he can smash a ball out that hits a kid and just cause he gives them a racquet afterwards people can say he’s such a good guy.
“They’ll always be his supporters and he’ll spin it in a way that helps him but at the end of the day he’s an absolute knob.”
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