Not for the first time Nick Kyrgios has courted controversy over his comments on a WTA player. The outspoken Aussie has not been seen in competitive action for a long time, but he sure has garnered attention. First, it was calling out Jannik Sinner for getting away with a ban despite failing a dope test. Then he caused outrage after a two-word comment allegedly directed at his ex-girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya.

Replying to a photo of himself and Anna Kalinskaya at a 2020 LA Lakers match, Nick Kyrgios made a two-word controversial comment writing, “Second Serve.” Many thought that the comment was in reference to their past relationship and an offensive jibe at Kalinskaya. However, after initially not responding to the backlash, Kyrgios has come up with a defense.

When a tennis outlet on X shared the post and the comment, Kyrgios came forward to clarify his stance. He wrote, “Right… so I’m the one that’s the bad guy for saying something about it? I never brought it up lol 🤣  don’t take offence if people are gonna bring it up. Simple.”  However, a fan was unhappy with his earlier comments and wrote, “You truly don’t understand what abusive language and respect is towards another human being?” But Kyrgios kept reiterating that there was nothing offensive in what he said.

“Abusive? What’s abusive about what I said? I had no intention to say anything about it. People wanna go there deal with the consequences,” Kyrgios replied. Kyrgios and Kalinskaya dated each other before the pair split up in 2020. The Russian WTA star and Kyrgios were rumored to be dating when they were spotted together at the Staples Center in early 2020, fueling widespread speculation. However, after their split, Kalinskaya moved on, and Jannik Sinner became a significant part of her life.

The Russian is dating men’s world No. 1 Sinner, with the couple confirming their relationship earlier this year. Since Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya began their relationship, neither has addressed Kalinskaya’s past with Nick Kyrgios. However, Kyrgios’s distasteful comments have thrust them into the spotlight. Initially as well, the Aussie didn’t back down even when he was called out. Kyrgios rather expressed frustration over how easily people got triggered by his remarks. “Don’t you think it’s hilarious how quickly people get triggered 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 with a couple of words, or emojis…. Too much power,” he wrote.

The Australian faced a barrage of criticism from the tennis community. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg wrote, “Honestly a bit surprised to see ESPN didn’t yank Nick Kyrgios off air mid-#USOpen final, seeing his most recent disparaging tweet about a WTA player circulating. Given his history of demeaning women, women’s tennis, and WTA players, it was already a dubious choice to have him.”

American tennis TV commentator Jon Wertheim also hit out at Kyrgios. He tweeted, “Nick Kyrgios once made a misogynistic, wildly inappropriate comment about a WTA player, drew the anger of her ATP player boyfriend, his coach, and much of the locker room…but didn’t face real consequence, dismissed, as it was, as youthful indiscretion. That was 2015. He’s 29 now”

Wertheim is referring to the disparaging comments Kyrgios made against Croatian WTA player Donna Vekic in the middle of a match against her partner Stanislas Wawrinka. Kyrgios had said “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend” — referring to his doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.

He apologized on social media after the Vekic controversy and said his comments were “in the heat of the moment.” But this time around, he remains defiant. His latest actions add another subplot to his standoff against Sinner.

He is one of those players who have been notably vocal since Jannik Sinner was cleared of any fault or negligence in relation to two anti-doping violations.

Nick Kyrgios stands against Jannik Sinner’s doping call

Sinner had tested positive for the banned substance clostebol twice in March, but an Independent Tribunal concluded that he bore no responsibility for the infractions, as the World No. 1 explained to the tribunal that it was because of his physio’s negligence that he came in contact with the banned substance. Kyrgios criticized Sinner straightaway after the ruling and asserted that he should have been banned.

Then again as Sinner was preparing for his US Open quarterfinal match against Daniil Medvedev, Kyrgios took to social media to deliver a fresh jab. In response to a post celebrating the elimination of top players like Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Zverev, Kyrgios tweeted, “When it still shows up in the second test hahahahahaha… I make myself laugh.” That comment was probably also in reference to Sinner’s earlier doping scandal.

As the focus shifts to the court for the US Open final where Sinner will be taking on Taylor Fritz, Kyrgios’ controversial comment on Kalinskaya is garnering attention as well.