Stefanos Tsitsipas says comments about Nick Kyrgios ‘misinterpreted’
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Stefanos Tsitsipas (right) insists there was a misunderstanding regarding his comments about Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon last season.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, EPA-EFE
LONDON – Stefanos Tsitsipas has said that the comments he made about Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon last season have been “misinterpreted”, after his remarks were featured on Netflix documentary “Break Point” and perceived as racist on social media.
Tsitsipas, 24, was knocked out by Kyrgios in a bad-tempered, third-round clash
His exact words were: “He’s brought that NBA basketball attitude to tennis. I would describe it as an uneducated approach of playing tennis.
“But you know tennis is a gentleman’s sport, it’s all about respect.
“We are not playing basketball. I feel he was trying to destroy my rhythm. He kept putting his towel in my box.”
The Greek world No. 5 has insisted there had been an “unfortunate misunderstanding that has a distorted picture of my intentions” in a lengthy statement posted to his Facebook page on Saturday.
“It has come to my attention that some individuals have misinterpreted my comments regarding Nick Kyrgios... insinuating racism where none exists,” he wrote.
“I want to emphasise that I harbour no prejudice towards anyone based on their background, ethnicity or interests. I deeply regret if my words were misinterpreted or caused offence, as that was never my intention.”
Tsitsipas added that his remarks were not meant to undermine Kyrgios’ ability or intelligence.
“I simply intended to express my perspective on certain aspects of his playing style, drawing comparisons to the passion and intensity often associated with basketball,” he said. “It was an attempt to highlight the dynamic and captivating nature of his approach to the game, not a criticism of his character or capabilities.
“Moving forward, I commit to being more mindful of my words and the impact they may have.”
The 28-year-old Kyrgios, who reached the Wimbledon final but lost to Novak Djokovic, saw off Tsitsipas in four sets in a match that often threatened to spiral out of control.
He was warned for swearing and had a running dialogue with the umpire, while Tsitsipas lost his composure and tried to hit his opponent with a smash after coming close to being defaulted for hitting a ball in frustration into the crowd.
The feud continued off-court, with Tsitsipas labelling Kyrgios a “bully” with an “evil side” in his post-match media conference. Kyrgios laughed off Tsitsipas’ remarks and said the Greek had “serious issues”.
Following Tsitsipas’ statement on Saturday, Kyrgios acknowledged his rival’s clarification and said the pair were “all good”.
“Sometimes as players we go into these press conferences without digesting the match,” he tweeted.
“It was a very heated battle. We’ve had some crazy battles and I know deep down you like my brand of tennis. We are all good.”
The 2023 edition of Wimbledon runs from July 3-16.
It remains to be seen if Kyrgios will be fully fit to compete, following knee surgery in January. He returned to the tour earlier in June but struggled as he lost to China’s Wu Yibing in the first round of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart.
He had also withdrawn from the ongoing Halle Open. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, fell in the second round in Halle, losing in straight sets to Nicolas Jarry of Chile.
In the semi-finals on Saturday, unseeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik beat ninth-seeded German Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-5 to set up a showdown with Andrey Rublev.
The Russian third seed had disposed of Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4 in the other semi-final.
Elsewhere at the Queen’s Club Championships, Alex de Minaur overcame second-seeded Dane Holger Rune 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in the semi-finals.
The seventh seed from Australia will face top seed Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard romped into the final after sweeping aside American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-4. REUTERS
