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Aug/15

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The Outrageous Vilification of Nick Kyrgios

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Nick Kyrgios mumbled an insult about Stan Wawrinka during a heated battle in Montreal on Wednesday evening, not long after Wawrinka targeted a beanball shot right at Nick’s head.

So now the ATP has fined Kyrgios $10,000 with rumblings that additional punishment may be meted out – to the tune of a fine ten times more along with a three year suspension.

Wow.

The establishment is coming down hard on poor Kyrgios. The same establishment that turned a deaf ear to the obscene F bombs unleashed by Serena Williams at both the French Open and Wimbledon this year. Serena was neither warned or fined for expressing her outrageous obscenities on the most prestigious stages of professional tennis – while Nick Kyrgios is being demonized, vilified and criminalized for muttering one little sentence: “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend” at a tournament in Montreal, Quebec.

The hypocrisy and double standards here are beyond exasperating, especially if you’re Nick Kyrgios.

Wawrinka has contributed to the media maelstrom by criticizing the “integrity” of Kyrgios, and victimizing himself by saying he wouldn’t do what Nick did to his “worst enemy”, yet wasn’t it Wawrinka who brought this all on himself in the first place by cheating on his wife? (According to ATP insiders, Donna Vekic was not the first time Wawrinka strayed from his marriage either.)

All is fair in love and war. Except if you’re Nick Kyrgios.

A certain revered and beloved superstar Hall of Famer screamed profanities at Tim Mayotte’s sister during a Philadelphia final, screamed vicious threats and unprintable insults at the Swedish Davis Cup team at the St. Louis tie, yelled at a female fan “you should have been an abortion” at the US Open… yet Nick Kyrgios is being vilified, demonized and criminalized for mumbling “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend.”

You have to just laugh at the incredible hypocrisy and injustice of it all. Or cry if you’re Nick Kyrgios.

Scoop’s new book “Facing Nadal: Symposium Of A Champion” is available at amazon for $9.99.

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24 comments

  • koz · August 14, 2015 at 11:08 am

    Scoop, well written. Koz

  • mat4 · August 14, 2015 at 11:39 am

    Scoop,

    I wouldn’t go so far, but basically I do think that the case is out of proportion, and that it is indeed a clear case of double standards.

    No so long ago, Kyrgios (2K from here) insulted an umpire. Nothing. And now, he is fined… what for? Because he said… what, that 4K “banged” a girl?

    We have been witness for years that top players react very badly when they are aimed at — they perfectly know that, with their level of training and accuracy, it has been done on purpose most of the time. Berdych refused to shake hand with Almagro, Djokovic was mad at Nadal, etc. and it’s clear that Wawrinka aimed at 2K intentionally. Anyway, 2K said it himself in the post-match interview. Why are there no reactions? It’s much more dangerous that a provocation in the heat of the match.

    Then, Stan’s reaction was… childish, and Mirka seems to know her stuff when she called him “cry baby”. I know for sure that in such a situation, I wouldn’t have said a word to the journalists, but rather have a talk first with my girlfriend.

  • Moskova Moskova · August 14, 2015 at 11:47 am

    WOW !

    this is total bull-s**t !!

    $10k fine and more to come ???

    really disapointed in the ATP…could be a publicity stunt….ATP will get more viewers this way..

  • Dan markowitz · August 14, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    The biggest hypocrite besides Wawa–hankies please (and i don’t mind if the guy has an affair it’s just don’t be such a wanker when it’s brought up in public–is Gimelstob who is such a ceremonious tool. That guy behaved abominably when he played, had no respect for most of his opponents, and now he’s one of the guys ruling on court etiquette!? Please Gimel is unbelievable.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 14, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Thanks Dave (Koz), hate to see injustice and unfairness.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 14, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    Way out of proportion mat4. It’s like a landslide of rage and fury against Nick. With the accusers conveniently forgetting it was Stan who tried to beanball Nick in the head and it was Stan who accused Nick of faking an injury after their Queens match. And it was Stan who took up with a teenager while still married.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 14, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Dan, what did Gimelstob say about Kyrgios, is he sharply criticizing Kyrgios for the incident? I really don’t remember any bad behavior from Gimelstob, just that one match where Michael Tabara spit at him on grandstand after a contentious five setter at US Open, but I don’t know the details of that match.

  • Gaurang · August 14, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    I for one agree with the fine. Nick first of all repeatedly complained to get a line judge removed, then was intentionally trying to disturb Stan in the first set. Nick was also constantly fighting with audience. And saying what he said in front of everybody is a personal attack on the opponent: he defamed his opponent and Kokk and Donna in front of everybody. This is unacceptable in my book. Imagine if these things started happening in every match by everybody, tennis will stoop to the lowest levels.

    Nick should be fined hard so that he gets a lesson that just being a up and coming star does not excuse him from anything. He must behave with at least a bit of civility and avoid personal attacks by defaming opponents wife/girlfriend and other players in front of everybody.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 14, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Gaurang, that linesperson blew three or four calls that went against Nick, and contributed to losing the first set. Wawrinka accused Nick of faking an injury in their previous match in Queens – is that not defamation? Stan also tried to blast a shot at Nick’s head at the net. It’s no wonder this heated battle erupted into ultimately a locker room assault by Stan on Nick. These kinds of unsportsmanlike and violent incidents are rare but they are a part of tennis and always will be. I think the fine is too heavy and the public condemnation on Nick and the blind eye on Stan’s contributory involvement into this eruption are uneven and unfair.

  • Moskova Moskova · August 14, 2015 at 1:43 pm

    well said scoop…

    listen, nick mumbled out some smack in the heat of battle…..so crucify him….jesus christ !!

  • Gaurang · August 14, 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Scoop, sorry but I have to disagree. What Nick did is 10x worse than any other examples you have given. The other examples can be understood, but Nick’s behavior cannot. The barometer should be what we can accept if it happens in every other match. Its okay for me that somebody blames other player’s injury as fake — has happened a lot of times. Its not okay for me to see one player mudslinging on the other player’s personal life and their sex partners in front of everybody every other match. I want to see good tennis. Injuries are part of tennis. Sex lives of player’s wives and girlfriends are not part of on-court tennis.

    I think he should be fined heavily and also suspended for 1 month or so — so he does not get to play US Open.

    Only then he will tone down his rhetoric.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 14, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    No need to feel sorry for disagreeing my friend ) I say Talkin smack is a part of the sports culture today Gaurang, it’s part of the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, boxing, and it’s been a part of tennis — I think the Come on is a veiled form of trash talking to the opponent, it’s like saying to the opponent, ‘Come on pal, let’s go, you gonna need more than that’ to whup me. Surely what Nick said was highly controversial and inflammatory, but we do have freedom of speech and Stan, by calling Nick a liar, faker, and by launching a forehand blast at his head, Stan left himself open to be verbally attacked as so, you play with fire you can get burned. I think a firm severe warning would be more appropriate punishment, like a yellow card, if Nick persists in this kind of conduct on court, then the punishment and fine should be more extensive. Stan’s contributions to the final eruption should also be taken into account, also the fact Stan assaulted Nick after the match should be punished and rebuked.

  • sharoten · August 15, 2015 at 1:30 am

    You’re showing the true side of your character with all your whinging Scoop and it ain’t pretty. Gaurang is the only one with a lick of sense on this forum.

  • Harold · August 15, 2015 at 10:01 am

    Kyrgios’s brother comes off as a bigger douche. Talking smack, If he was there he would’ve kicked Wawa’s ass, but in the same breath, talks about filing charges.
    He got thrown off an interview for saying ‘Donna loves Kokk”.

    Quite the family. Good luck to Hewitt, dealing with these imby’s

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 15, 2015 at 1:15 pm

    Harold, Christos Kyrgios looks like a badass and he comes off as one too, but I spoke with him for a good ten minutes at the Open two years ago and he’s a good bloke, got on well with him. But I can see how he’s very very protective of his younger brother. Especially against the antics Wawrinka did to him. I just don’t understand how the mumbled “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend” has caused such a firestorm.

  • Moskova Moskova · August 17, 2015 at 10:01 am

    scoop, did he reallysay….”donna loves kokk”….that is so inappropriate and so outrageous !!

    so, did they stop the interview or escort him off ??

    wowzers – unbelievable stuff ! haha

  • Andrew Miller · August 20, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    Nick said it so fine him. Wawrinka not the most loveable guy but still didnt deserve it.

    Sportsmanship is pary of the slugfest that is tennis , no reason to ruffle Wawrinka personally . He isnt Stepanek, the man of many czechmates!

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 20, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    Andrew, sportsmanship sure is an integral part of the tennis experience but sometimes a match can erupt into a volcano — mac vs nasty at us open, fed and Sampras vs rafa and Agassi at that IW exo, berdych vs almagro,

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    Johan Kriek weighed in on my POV on Facebook: Johan Kriek Scoop, I hear you. He is a talent, no doubt. But he has been acting like this for a few years now. He has not changed. If he had put the world on fire and acted like this and had started to win majors, we can say “special nuts” like John McEnroe was at the beginning and it drew crowds like crazy. I do not know Nick personally and perhaps he has qualities that you have witnessed. He needs a reality check. A few wins here and there means just that , a few wins here and there.
    Grow up, do better than what you grew up with. Right your “inner compass” and the winning will take care of itself…..
    Losing a sponsor is no joke…..

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 9:08 pm

    Miguel Seabra also replied on FB: I spent a week with him at this year’s Millennium Estoril Open, interviewed and watched him closely on several occasions, Johan; Scoop is right — he’s being demonized but he’s just a kid doing mistakes and paying for them… the amount of hate he’s getting is ridiculous. I posted pictures of him being great with the kids at Estoril and got in return pictures oh Hitler with children. People need to get a perspective. And remember Agassi was spitting at umpires when he was his age (cs Korda, US Open 1990, I believe) before turning into an universal statesman for the game!

  • Bryan · August 23, 2015 at 4:47 pm

    “Wawrinka brought this all on himself in the first place by cheating on his wife?”

    True. Stan leaves his wife and child for a 19 year old hottie and then berated media at Wimbledon for daring to cover it. He’s a celebrity yet expects ‘privacy’ when it comes to his misdeeds. Sorry but that’s the trade-off for the millions of dollars and fame involved with being a top athlete today.

    Had Stan addressed his (ongoing?) affair with Donna Vekic instead of threatening journalists who covered it then this situation wouldn’t have been as explosive.

    Case of pent up public interest, a crass teenager who stepped out of bounds, and a 30-something who doesn’t want everyone knowing he’s robbing the cradle.

  • Bryan · August 23, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    “he defamed his opponent and Kokk and Donna in front of everybody. This is unacceptable in my book.”

    While I’m not that sympathetic for Wawrinka, I agree with Gaurang on this point. It’s not right Nick dragged Kokk and Donna into a very public squabble when neither were involved in his situation with Stan. “Kokk banged your girlfriend” is just not something you say in public, nor in private unless you’re looking to fight.

    As a Donna Vekik fan the thing that bothers me is she’s now best known as Stan’s mistress, not as one of the top young prospects who’s already won a WTA title at 19. This could hamper her marketability and endorsements, which everyone knows is critical for young players who don’t consistently get big purses.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 23, 2015 at 8:01 pm

    Good points Bryan, Stan had to expect the media frenzy, it’s just inevitable in situations like this, these kinds of romantic dramas with celebrities involved always sell big numbers and that’s what it’s all about for the media —

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 23, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Bryan, Vekic was a big time prospect who has struggled lately, I saw her play US Open qualies at sixteen three years ago, she lost to a veteran journeywoman in three sets, choking the second and fading away in third — she has been a disappointment and fitness was a problem though she trained very hard over the last off season, but her ranking is still well outside top hundred — she is one of those players with a lot of talent and potential but it’s not about talent and potential, it’s about a freakish dedication and commitment to overcoming all adversities and becoming a champion —

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