The Special K’s are out the Australian Open doubles and Nick Kyrgios isn’t happy.
Following the dramatic 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-4) super tiebreak exit at the hands of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans, 30-year-old Kyrgios let rip on the inconsistent use of in-game technology that appeared to cost the 2022 AO Champions at least one point in the closing stages of the three-set match.
Visibly (and audibly) frustrated at numerous contentious calls during the clash on a heaving KIA Arena, Kyrgios became apoplectic after the fourth point of the super tiebreaker when his partner Thanasi Kokkinakis appeared to have hit a winner at the net, before the call was overturned after a video review showed Kokkinakis had made contact before the returning ball crossed the net.
It proved a critical moment in the match as a momentary 2-2 scoreline suddenly became 1-3 and the Special K’s never regained parity.
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“We’re only playing by some rules tonight guys, don’t worry,” Kyrgios called out as the point was correctly overturned.
‘It doesn’t make any f***ing sense’ says Kyrgios post-match
Only moments earlier a Kokkinakis serve in the opening point of the super tiebreak had been called a let by Serbian umpire Marijana Veljovic when the players—and subsequent TV replays—suggested the ball had clearly passed well above the net, however on that occasion no video review was allowed.
“You know what the issue is, how can you review a ball that’s been hit over the net but you can’t review a serve over the net?” Kyrgios lamented in his post-match press conference.
“It doesn’t make any f***ing sense, that’s why I’m pissed off.
“We’re playing for millions of dollars, we’ve both been injured, both trying to get to this stage, some of these rules are just so, so, so dumb—they don’t make sense.”
Injured knee permitting Kyrgios has a final chance to feature in the second week of this year’s AO tournament when he steps out in the Mixed Doubles with Canadian Leylah Fernandez on Friday night, again on KIA Arena.