‘Absolute Knob’: Nick Kyrgios Criticized By Opponent at Australian Open 2022

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has reached the doubles semi-final at the Australian Open. He is partnering with Thanasi Kokkinakis, the fellow Australian and one of Nick’s best friends on the tour. They beat the pair of Michael Venus and Tim Putz (the no.6 seed) on Tuesday’s quarter-final match. 

Understandably, the crowd was heavily supporting the Australian pair during that match. However, it seems like Michael Venus, the New Zealand player, didn’t like the attitude of the crowd. He also had some words for Nick Kyrgios, which the Australian might not like either. 

Michael Venus criticizes Nick Kyrgios and the Australian crowd

In a recent interview with a New Zealand TV channel, Michael Venus slammed the Australian Crowd for sledging him and his partner during their matches. 

“It felt like a circus out there and not really a tennis match… Between serves [they were] geeing the crowd up and getting them to cheer at times like that. I don’t think that’s really on,” the New Zealander stated. 

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The doubles tennis player also criticized Nick Kyrgios, describing him as an “absolute knob” for his behavior on the court. “They’ll always be his supporters and he’ll always spin it in a way that helps him but at the end of the day, he’s just an absolute knob,” Venus said about Kyrgios. 

“On the maturity side, you see why he’s never fulfilled his potential and probably never will. His maturity level, it’s probably being generous to a 10-year-old, to say it’s at about that level,” the doubles player further stated. 

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are on the verge of winning a Grand Slam title

Earlier in the second round, Kyrgios lost to the no.2 seed Daniil Medvedev in his singles match. Kokkinakis also lost his first-round singles match against Yannick Hanfmann. Not getting demoralized by those individual setbacks, both the Aussies upped their performance in doubles matches. 

Tuesday, the Australian pair defeated the pair of Michael Venus and Tim Putz by 7-5,3-6,6-3. They will now play the no.3 seed, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the semi-final on Thursday. This is a golden opportunity for both the players to win their first Grand Slam title and the crowd will heavily support them, no doubt. 

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Can Nick and Thanasi win their first Grand Slam title? Let us know in the comments.