Kyrgios Smashes 3 Rackets in US Open Exit

Australian tennis player, already handed tournament's biggest fine ever, is 'devastated'
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 7, 2022 7:34 AM CDT

Nick Kyrgios disappointed himself and his fans early Wednesday, losing to Russia's Karen Khachanov in five sets in the US Open quarterfinals, but not those who'd come out for his antics. Having missed out on his best chance yet at a Grand Slam title, the Australian tennis player smashed not one but two rackets on the side of the court. For the "talented but temperamental" Kyrgios, the No. 27 seed Khachanov was "a far inferior opponent," per the New York Times. The loss was especially hard to take as it came just one match after Kyrgios, the No. 23 seed, defeated the No. 1 seed, Russian Daniil Medvedev. That performance was "among the best matches Kyrgios, 27, has ever played at a Grand Slam tournament, if not the best," per the Times.

"There was little doubt when the match ended that if Kyrgios could continue playing at that level, it was unlikely anyone in the field would be capable of stopping him from winning his first Grand Slam singles title in a career marked by wild swings of brilliance and blowups," per the outlet. After all, Novak Djokovic didn't take part in the tournament and Rafael Nadal was defeated on Monday. But Kyrgios was not at his best as the nearly four-hour match played out Tuesday night. He complained that he "can't walk without pain" after tweaking his knee during the first set and was repeatedly yelling at his team, per the Daily Beast. "After losing two golden chances to break Khachanov's serve late in the third set, he smashed his racket on the ground and later smacked a television camera with his hand," per the Times.

"Kyrgios looked to have the momentum after taking the fourth-set tiebreaker, but he lost his serve in the opening game of the fifth set and never recovered," reports the Times. After Khachanov took the final point in the match that ended 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4, Kyrgios smashed another racket on the side of the court three times before throwing it. Then he smashed a third racket. This came after he was fined $7,500—the largest fine ever imposed at the US Open—for an outburst during a second-round match, which saw him spitting and swearing at his own team, per CBS Sports. "I'm just devastated, obviously," he said after his latest defeat. "I just feel like it was either winning it all or nothing at all, to be honest. I feel like I've just failed at this event right now." (More Nick Kyrgios stories.)

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