Controversy magnet Nick Kyrgios tells ball boy to ‘run properly’ as his great grass court run ends

Controversy magnet Nick Kyrgios tells ball boy to ‘run properly’ in bizarre outburst as his great run of grass court form ends in loss that will see him go into Wimbledon unseeded

  • Nick Kyrgios has blown up on court, taking aim at a ball boy’s running style
  • His Halle Open run was a reminder of how dangerous he can be on grass
  • The Canberran will take to the Mallorca Open before his Wimbledon campaign

Outspoken star Nick Kyrgios has told a ball boy to correct his running style after the young man supposedly put him off his game at the Halle Open in Germany on Saturday.

Kyrgios went down 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 to Polish world No.12 Hubert Hurkacz, and the match featured some of the highlight reel drama tennis fans have become accustomed too when he takes to the court. 

Nick Kyrgios tells a Halle Open ball boy to ‘run properly please’ as the Aussie hothead was put off by when the youngster stumbled

The 27-year-old won the first set 6-4 and was serving to get back to two-all in the second, before a ball boy stumbled while picking up Kyrgios’ first-serve fault on the run.

Kyrgios paused briefly and served one down the centre, then made an unforced error by hitting a baseline forehand too long – at which point he turned to the boy with both hands pointed and said, ‘You just put me off. Run properly, please.’

The Aussie hothead then shook his head and muttered to the umpire about biased calls and an unfair contest.

Kyrgios made light work of world no.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16, hammering the star 5-7 6-2 6-4 in a great performance that featured another odd trantrum.

The outbursts began after Kyrgios lost the first set and smashed his racquet to the ground, smashing it in one blow.

Kyrgios argues with chair umpire Timo Janzen after he was issued a code violation for slow play in his win against Stefanos Tsitsipas

Kyrgios argues with chair umpire Timo Janzen after he was issued a code violation for slow play in his win against Stefanos Tsitsipas

Down 2-0 in the second set, Kyrgios was issued a code violation for slow play when he took a drink and wiped his brow with a towel mid-game. 

When chair umpire Timo Janzen tried to get Kyrgios to resume, he flared up and said he’s always had to wait for his opponents and the rules shouldn’t be different for him.

‘I do that all the time; I play Rafa [Nadal], every time, waiting for him, dries his hand, I’m waiting for him [and I get] nothing. I’m not playing, get a supervisor,’ Kyrgios yelled.

Tsitsipas responded by walking to the baseline and serving like a point was underway.  

The upset win was Kyrgios’ 24th victory over a top 10 player, a crazy stat given the star has never broke past his career-best 13th ranking. 

Kyrgios celebrates after winning the first set in the Australian open doubles final match - winning his maiden grand slam 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 with partner Thanasi Kokkinakis

Kyrgios celebrates after winning the first set in the Australian open doubles final match – winning his maiden grand slam 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 with partner Thanasi Kokkinakis

This week’s Mallorca Open is his final hit-out before Wimbledon, where he’ll be unseeded. 

A green track is Kyrgios’ favourite, given the fast play and true bounce, and he said back in May that he rates himself as the ATP’s best grass court player. 

In what was Kyrgios’ biggest career win, the then 19-year-old defeated world No.1 Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon’s fourth round back in 2014. 

Nick Kyrgios performs a quick jig after defeating world number one Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of Wimbledon back in 2014

Nick Kyrgios performs a quick jig after defeating world number one Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of Wimbledon back in 2014

Going into the draw unseeded means Kyrgios will likely face some big names in the opening rounds, making him a dangerous prospect to take out top 10s.

His record against the world’s current top 10 sits at 17-16, given he has knocked off No.1 Danil Medvedev twice along with Novak Djokovic. 

The Wimbledon draw is released on the 24th of June with play to commence on June 27.

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