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John McEnroe blasts Aussie bad boy Nick Krygios, who blasts right back
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John McEnroe blasts Aussie bad boy Nick Krygios, who blasts right back

Published Jan. 18, 2017 12:57 p.m. ET

Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis star and hothead who was suspended and fined last year for blatantly tanking a match in China and once received sanction for suggesting to his opponent that his buddy had hooked up with his girlfriend, blew a two-set lead and a match point at the Australian Open on Wednesday and was ripped by Eurosport commentator John McEnroe for not trying and leaving "a black eye for the sport."

In his press conference after the loss to Andreas Seppi, Kyrgios was asked about McEnroe's comments because you've got to stoke a fire to keep it alive. Kyrgios didn't disappoint, sarcastically saying McEnroe "knows everything" and then repeatedly responding to questions by suggesting the reporter ask McEnroe. ""He knows everything," the 21-year-old said at one point.

The polarizing Kyrgios was out to an easy two-set lead on his Italian opponent in the second round of his home Grand Slam but lost the third set and then, after getting broken to open the fourth, appeared to go into shutdown mode, which upset the fiery McEnroe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFuqQ0JVfsk

"Even I'm at a loss for words. Overall I would call it a damn shame because I think he's the most talented guy in the world [at] 21 and under -- maybe even at 29 and under. He could be the best player in the world, but mentally he's No. 200 in the world, and I think at critical moments it showed."



Kyrgios won't get any benefit of the doubt though and deserves none either. His petulant responses to questions from (admittedly hostile) Aussie media do nothing to change that fact. When McEnroe's comments were first brought up, Kyrgios tried to play it cool like he was above it all. Cool guy Nick.

"I mean, John McEnroe, was it John McEnroe? Good on him. Great career. Good on him."

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