Australian No 1 apologises to fans for quitting first-round match after row with umpire, but says he was injured
Nick Kyrgios has apologised to fans after quitting his first-round match at the Shanghai Masters, insisting it was because of injury rather a row with the umpire that saw him receive two warnings.
Tennis officials told Australian Associated Press there was “an ongoing investigation” after Kyrgios stormed off the court after losing the first set 7-6 (7-5) in a tiebreaker to Steve Johnson, in apparent protest against the umpiring of Irishman Fergus Murphy.
Kyrgios failed to appear before the media in Shanghai but later apologised to fans, insisting he had been battling a stomach bug and had a bad shoulder.
His walk-off comes after the volatile star was suspended from the ATP Tour for tanking at the same tournament 12 months ago.
Cameras caught the 22-year-old hot-head abusing the umpire and threatening to quit the match if replays proved officials’ line calls to be wrong.
Kyrgios had received two code violations for unsportsmanlike conduct, the first for smashing a ball out of the stadium, and expressed his dismay at Murphy for copping a point penalty after swearing during the tiebreaker.
Kyrgios was in command of the breaker leading 4-2, only to erupt when he was delayed on serve.
Officials reportedly mistakenly allowed spectators to enter the arena when the two combatants changed ends and, already agitated, Kyrgios exploded.
“This is normal.
