Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios says he was threatened by doubles opponents’ coach | Tennis News

Nick Kyrgios claims the coach and trainer of Croatia pair Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic threatened him at men’s doubles match at Australian Open; Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis knocked out top seeds Mektic and Pavic to reach round three in Melbourne

Nick Kyrgios claims he was threatened by the coach and trainer of his doubles opponents at the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios has claimed he was threatened by the coach and trainer of his men’s doubles opponents at the Australian Open on Friday.

Kyrgios and fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis dumped out Croatian top seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 7-6 6-3 in the second round as they secured one of the results of the tournament so far.

A flash point appeared to occur when Kyrgios hit one of his opponents with the ball.

Kyrgios wrote on Twitter: “Just letting you know after yesterday’s chop fest in doubles my opponents coach and trainer proceeded to threaten to fight in the players gym tennis is a soft soft sport @TKokkinakis all because I moved and hit them with a tennis ball.”

Kokkinakis replied: “That was crazy!! Mans thought it was @ufc.”

Mektic and Pavic – who won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 2021 – were left frustrated by the partisan home crowd.

Pavic said: “They are pretty loud. Obviously they cheer for Aussies. It wouldn’t hurt them to show some respect to all opponents, to other players.”

Mektic added: “It all went very fast, very loud. They’re a nasty team to beat here and that’s it.”

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis will face Ecuador’s Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar of Uruguay in round three.