Yet again, Nick Kyrgios has been involved in a controversy, this time during a match against Radu Albot at the Delray Beach Open in Florida.
The Aussie star was defeated in three sets, losing to the World No. 82, 6-2 3-6 6-3. The maligned Kyrgios was reportedly booed off the court by fans, with some questioning his effort throughout the match.
Not his first time
It’s obviously not Krygios’ first foray into controversy, however, this isn’t even the first time criticism has been directed towards him in this tournament. Indeed, critics questioned Krygios’ effort in his opening round win over fellow countryman, John Millman. As a result, the crowd were definitely against him in his match against Albot.
The match
Those in the stands started to boo the young Aussie when he called for a trainer in the opening set. However, things got pretty personal when he began arguing with one fan in the crowd. Krygios supposedly swore at the fan, which warranted a code violation.
However, this wasn’t the end of Kyrgios’ antics. In the second set, the controversial star turned his anger towards a linesman. He was seen clapping sarcastically after what he perceived were bad calls, only to re-commence throwing shade at some of the fans in the crowd.
Later on, he was captured dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” between a change of ends. The 23 year-old showed little interest in the outcome of the match, as his opponent ran away with victory.
Where to now for Kyrgios?
Once seen as a great hope in Australian tennis, Kyrgios has sensationally hit rock bottom in his career. After what was an incredible ascent to professional tennis as a teenager, the young Aussie has clearly struggled with managing his in-game focus and composure. The former World No. 13 is now ranked 64th, while his downward spiral appears to continue.