Australian tennis legend Pat Rafter rejected claims made by Nick Kyrgios regarding the atmosphere at Melbourne Park, saying nothing could top the energy that came in the women’s singles final.
Kyrgios boasted that he and Thanasi Kokkinakis had “created probably the best atmosphere this tournament has ever seen” during the men’s doubles final win, and claimed that Barty’s father had told him that “the crowd was the best he’s ever seen”.
“Obviously Ash is a hell of a player, but I think the ratings speak for themselves,” Kyrgios said after winning the doubles final.
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The comments drew a few raised eyebrows from fans and experts alike – while one of Kyrgios’ opponents in that final, Max Purcell, also made his feelings on the crowd known.
Kyrgios fired back on social media, while Rafter scoffed at the claims when appearing on television on Sunday night.
“Well, it’s a different type of atmosphere. They certainly create a lot of chaos out there in the crowd,” Rafter told The Project about Kyrgios and Kokkinakis.
“I wouldn’t call it a traditional tennis crowd that they get – but it’s like a soccer crowd.
“But in terms of the best ever atmosphere… I don’t know. I was on the court when Ash walked out and the scream that they got, you’re not going to get any better than that.
“The scream that she got from the crowd there was something you’ll never be able to replicate unless you’re in that situation.”
Rafter went on to say that women’s tennis in Australia is as strong as it has ever been, and that the men could get there too.
“We’ve got one of the greatest, I think, in Australian women’s tennis that we’ve ever seen,” he said, referring to Barty.
“In the men’s, it could be better. I mean, we were definitely strong in the 1960s and 1970s.
“We had a great moment in the 1990s as well and the boys can certainly lift that, they have the talent.
“If you get the depth there with Alex De Minaur and the Ks and [John] Millman and Jordan [Thompson] and all of the guys pushing through, you can all help each other to achieve a lot of greatness.”
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