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Reuters

Nick Kyrgios hit back at John McEnroe’s suggestion that he had stopped trying late in his defeat at the Australian Open on Wednesday, sarcastically suggesting the tennis great turned TV pundit “knows everything”.
The 21-year-old Australian blamed a knee injury and poor conditioning for his lack of mobility around the court towards the end of the five-set second-round defeat by Italian Andreas Seppi.
Clearly upset after blowing a two-set lead and failing to convert a fifth-set match point, Kyrgios bridled when informed that McEnroe had said he had stopped trying and that it was “a black eye for the sport”.
“Well, my body was sore. I was hurting,” the 14th seed said. “I mean, John McEnroe, was it John McEnroe? Good on him. Great career. Good on him.”
Kyrgios’ 2016 season was ended by an ATP suspension for “not trying” at the Shanghai Masters, a ban that was curtailed when he agreed to see a sport’s psychologist.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori urges Asians to follow his lead and head overseas to train
It was not the first time McEnroe had criticised Kyrgios’ attitude, either.
After a listless effort in his loss to Andy Murray at Wimbledon last year, the American said Kyrgios had to act fast before his problem got “chronic and irreparable”.
Wednesday’s criticism clearly stuck in Kyrgios’ craw and he returned to it when asked to describe the pain in his knee.
“I don’t know, mate. Ask Johnny Mac,” he said. “He knows everything.”
Kyrgios again referred reporters to McEnroe when asked whether he had been in touch with his sport’s psychologist this week.
“Johnny Mac will know, mate. Just talk to him. He knows everything.”
The undoubtedly talented world number 13 said the loss to Seppi had taught him that he needed to revisit his decision not to work with a coach.
“The coach is always a question mark for me,” he said. “I think that’s one area where I obviously need to start taking a bit more seriously. I mean, I don’t think there’s anyone in the top 100 without a coach except for me. That needs to change.”
Although given rousing support by the partisan crowd on Hisense Arena for most of the match against Seppi, there was a reminder of how he divides his compatriots with a few boos after his defeat.
“Obviously it’s not the greatest thing to hear. Pretty banged up, my body,” he said.
“I don’t even know what the score was in the end ... getting booed off, definitely not the best feeling.”
As for the rough treatment he gets at the hands of the local media, Kyrgios feigned to have no complaints in that department.
“No. I deserve it,” he said. “I deserve it. I’m a bad guy.”
Meanwhile, top seed Andy Murray painfully rolled an ­ankle and needed treatment in the third set against Russian qualifier Andrey Rublev, but he shook it off to post a crushing 6-3, 6-0, 6-2 win.
Roger Federer accounted for 200th-ranked Noah Rubin 7-5, ­6-3, 7-6 (7-3) to set up a third-round assignment against his old rival Tomas Berdych.
Stan Wawrinka beat Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and Britain’s Dan ­Evans stunned former US Open champion Marin Cilic, the world number seven.


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‘Ask Johnny Mac’ – Nick Kyrgios hits back at McEnroe jibe

That’s the way it goes: Nick Kyrgios reacts to things not going his way against Andreas Seppi in their second-round match at the Australian Open. Photo: EPA

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - 18/1/17 Australia's Nick Kyrgios gestures during a post-match news conference. REUTERS/Edgar Su

epaselect epa05727232 Andy Murray of Britain holds his ankle after falling during his men's Singles second round match against Andrey Rublev of Russia at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2017. EPA/LYNN BO BO

epa05727026 Andreas Seppi of Italy celebrates after defeating Nick Kyrgios of Australia in their men's Singles second round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2017. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

epa05727111 Nick Kyrgios of Australia reacts after losing his men's Singles second round match against Andreas Seppi of Italy at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2017. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

NEW HAVEN, CT - AUGUST 25: John McEnroe attempts to return a shot to James Blake on day 5 of the Connecticut Open at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale on August 25, 2016 in New Haven, Connecticut. Alex Goodlett/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

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Tennis

Accused of tanking in a five-set defeat by Andreas Seppi, the Australian ‘bad boy’ sarcastically suggests the American tennis great ‘knows everything’


‘Ask Johnny Mac’ – Nick Kyrgios hits back at McEnroe jibe

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Accused of tanking in a five-set defeat by Andreas Seppi, the Australian ‘bad boy’ sarcastically suggests the American tennis great ‘knows everything’

Accused of tanking in a five-set defeat by Andreas Seppi, the Australian ‘bad boy’ sarcastically suggests the American tennis great ‘knows everything’