‘Absolute clown’: Nick Kyrgios unleashes on umpire during on-court tantrum

Nick Kyrgios threw yet another on-court temper tantrum as he lost his fourth round of the Miami Open to Italian Jannik Sinner.

Sinner received a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win, securing his spot in the quarter-finals.

The outburst was triggered by chair umpire Carlos Bernardes’ walkie-talkie going off mid-point in the first set of the match, infuriating the Australian player, labelling the man “an absolute clown”.

“He should be fired on the spot,” Kyrgios raged.

“How is that possible? This is one of the biggest tournaments and you guys can’t do your job. It’s embarrassing.

“You wonder why no one watches this sport. It’s a laughing stock.

“It’s a joke. He is a joke. Get rid of every single staff and start over. Everything. I will run the sport. I could do a 100-times better job. Marketing. Everything. You guys have no idea. None. You guys can’t even ref right.”

The umpire proceeded to hand Kyrgios, who was already down 3-5, a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, setting off another tirade.

The player contained to cut Bernardes off as he shouted at the umpire, insisting he was talking to a friend.

Nick Kyrgios loses it after receiving a point violation for unsportsmanlike conduct at the Miami open pic.twitter.com/XCQPDydPpe

— T. Joseph Clarke (@Taylortc12) March 29, 2022

Kyrgios continued to lose his cool, smashing his racquet on the court four times leading to Bernardes issuing a game penalty, costing him the second set before it even began, starting him on 0-1.

“What is actually wrong with you? I just genuinely want to know what’s wrong,” Kyrgiois badgered Bernardes.

This is not the first incident where Kyrgios criticised Bernardes’ umpiring, the tennis diva went off at him during his game with Rafael Nadal on March 18, for not keeping the crowd quiet. He lost the match 7-6 5-7 6-4.

Kyrgios shouted out to The Telegraphs Simon Briggs, telling the journalist to “write about the umpires”.

Am not used to being addressed from the court in the middle of matches, but Nick Kyrgios just suggested that I should “write about the umpires and how —- they are”. Felt he was a little hard done-by today, but then in matches like this he is often on the edge of trouble

— Simon Briggs (@simonrbriggs) March 29, 2022

Fans of the sport took to social media to point out the difference between Sinner and Kyrgios’ behaviour.

Jannik Sinner teaching everyone in ATP how to handle Nick Kyrgios. Not a single word. Not even a single expression on his face. Just letting his tennis talk.

— NoFirstName claycourtdal (@SMSTNS) March 29, 2022

Jannick Sinner was an absolute king against Nick Kyrgios today.

It was like a match between toxic and healthy masculinity, and healthy won in straight sets.

— Autistic Tennis Fan (@AutisticTennis) March 29, 2022

Congratulations to Jannik Sinner for keeping his calm and poise and winning against Nick Kyrgios 7 6, 6 3.

— Tahseen Kamal, Ph.D. (ANU), FHEA (she/her) (@tkamal16) March 29, 2022

Kyrgios was courteous to Sinner in accepting his loss, shaking the player’s hand, but did not follow Sinner’s lead in shaking the umpire’s hand before walking off the court.