Kyrgios clashes with tennis authorities again in US Open row over shirt message
Nick Kyrgios courted more controversy at the US Open before his second-round match against Antoine Hoang had begun.
The Australian, already in hot water this week for calling the ATP ‘pretty corrupt’, was told to fold his collar down because the motto written underneath it, “Just Do You”, apparently contravened the rules.
Kyrgios called the match supervisor and asked what the rule was. “I’m not going to play until you show me the rule,” he told the supervisor. “I want to know the rule. I want to see the rule. I’ve seen shirts worse.”
He also had another of his familiar tantrums in the third set after the umpire allowed a Hoang challenge having previously called game.
The 24-year-old demanded the supervisor came back onto the court to explain that rule as well.
“I’d won the game. He called game then my opponent challenged.
I thought that wasn’t right,” he said. “[The collar] I think it was a misunderstanding. I think they thought it was a slogan but it wasn’t. I knew the supervisor was wrong, but I just folded my collar down.”
He also had another of his familiar tantrums in the third set after the umpire allowed a Hoang challenge having previously called game.
The 24-year-old demanded the supervisor came back onto the court to explain that rule as well.
“I’d won the game.
He called game then my opponent challenged. I thought that wasn’t right,” he said. “[The collar] I think it was a misunderstanding.
I think they thought it was a slogan but it wasn’t. I knew the supervisor was wrong, but I just folded my collar down.”
The 24-year-old was later told he could display the logo in future matches at Flushing Meadows.
He defeated French wildcard 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, and will next meet Andrey Rublev of Russia. Kyrgios already faces two ATP investigations for his conduct during and after his previous two matches in Cincinnati and New York.
On Wednesday he called the ATP was “pretty corrupt” for fining him $117,000 for his outburst in Cincinnati a fortnight ago, then backtracked in accused the governing body of having “double standards” following his first-round win.
Second seed Rafael Nadal moved into the third round after Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew ahead of their night session encounter with a shoulder injury.
Alexander Zverev came through yet another gruelling five-setter to reach the third round, coming through against American Frances Tiafoe, just two days after going the distance against Radu Albot.
