Nick Kyrgios has been fined $14,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct during his opening round match at Wimbledon, the largest of 14 penalties handed out at this year’s tournament.
Kyrgios spat in the direction of a spectator who had been heckling him during his win over British wildcard Paul Jubb. The defiant Australian acknowledged after the match that he did it because the fan was “disrespecting” him.
The fine handed out to Kyrgios is double that of any of the 13 other penalties dished out by organisers.
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Asked after his impressive second round win over the 26th seed Filip Krajinović if he regretted his actions, the 27-year-old turned confrontational.
“Why would you be asking me a question about two days ago? Is it because you have no story for today?” he said.
“I just feel like I’m comfortable in my own skin. Some people love to just tear me down. It’s just not possible anymore.
“I just want to give people who watch this press conference or watch my tennis to just believe in yourself, be yourself, don’t be someone else up here either. Don’t just say what you’ve been told to say.
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“I couldn’t care less if there is an investigation about me doing that, to be brutally honest with you. I know what I bring to the sport. One of the most important people in the sport. Do you want to speak about that? Nothing to investigate there because it’s just factual.”
Kyrgios demolished Krajinović, dropping just six games in 85 minutes in an awesome display that has many tipping him to go deep, even allowing for the fact he plays fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round.
There was none of the usual Kyrgios antics on court, although even that caused controversy post-match.
“I just feel like people just don’t give me the respect sometimes because of other things that I do,” Kyrgios said.
“There was just nothing the media possibly could tell me I did wrong today.
“I just know that you can’t possibly ask me anything and stir anything up. And I love it because then you can’t write anything.
“What are you going to say? Nothing today. Dumbfounded, all of you.”
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