The first retreat of the year is signed by Nick Kyrgios. The Australian tennis player was supposed to lead his national team in the United Cup, the new mixed team competition, but the number one forfeited a few minutes before the start of the press conference for the entire Australian team.
Just at the same moment in which to learn it is the captain is Lleyton Hewitt: “For the whole team, it was quite difficult not knowing what was going on in the last 24 hours. It was more likely a lack of communication.
If it was a thing that concerned only, it is one thing; but when it revolves around the team and other people, imagining their preparation, they want to play as well as possible, not only in this event but also in the run-up to the Australian Open.
This is probably the hardest thing.” Kyrgios immediately replied on Twitter: “So after all this, after all the media write how bad I am for the sport, disrespecting the game, I will be in the number one episode on Netflix…to grow our fan base, basically trying to get other people into tennis.”
Tomjlanovic’s withdrawal and Kyrgios’ reaction
The controversy, however, does not end here: the Australian number one also commented on another retirement: that of Ajla Tomjlanovic, which took place shortly before her first match in the United Cup.
Also on Twitter, the Australian Open doubles winner compared Hewitt’s reaction to that of Samantha Stosur, another team boss. “Mmm I wonder if Stosur will throw it under the bus like our captain did with me… difficult to prepare when you don’t know what’s going on,” Kyrgios replied on social media to a tweet from journalist José Morgado, who explained the disadvantages deriving from the withdrawal of the Australian number one shortly before the United Cup match, the 2-0 momentary disadvantage against the United Kingdom.
Nick Kyrgios against Lleyton Hewitt is a feud that hurts Australian tennis, which could also have repercussions in the season that has just begun.
