Nick Kyrgios penned an emotional note on Instagram after his semi-final exit in Stuttgart Open. The Australian player lost to Britain’s Andy Murray in straight sets to walk out of the tournament. After the match, Kyrgios revealed through his Instagram post that the crowd in Stuttgart Open was making racial slurs. Moreover, he also opened up on how such racist abuses mess up with the mental health of any player. His Instagram caption read, “Today all the way in Stuttgart, it’s made me realize that people seem to think it is normal.”
Kyrgios had a complete meltdown in the semi-final after losing a closely fought first set. He lost his momentum and mental strength after that and couldn’t keep up with Murray’s play.
He made it very clear in his social media post that he does not tolerate any kind of racism and appealed to tennis fans to be more sensitive towards the players. As far as Kyrgios is concerned, he plays the game to entertain people and to provide them with something above ordinary tennis.
Nick Kyrgios Extends Support to Other Athletes After Racist Abuse During Stuttgart Open
Kyrgios pointed out that racism is not only limited to tennis and extends to players from other sports as well. He said, “I’m seeing it happen in other sports, and to many other athletes. You may not think it is a big deal, but it could affect someone’s life more than you think.”
He ended his caption by extending his support to all young players from all sports who have faced racism and felt alone and alienated.
The 27-year-old tennis star is famous on the court for his constant fights with players and referees. He does not shy away from banter and trash talk and has an open rivalry with many players. Just like his banter, his playing style is also aggressive. While he is often considered a tennis prodigy, the dominance of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic has denied him the chance to win even one grand slam. He has the most polarized audience due to his honest yet harsh attitude.