Nick Kyrgios solved his debut at Wimbledon on Tuesday with a long-suffering victory in five sets (3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-7 (3) and 7-5) against the British Paul Jubbs in more than three hours match that the Australian culminated with an ugly gesture, the umpteenth of his career, by spitting in the direction of the stands, specifically at a spectator who would have insulted him.
"I spat at a person who disrespected me. I would not do that to someone who is supporting me," explained the oceanic at a press conference, where he appeared eating sushi. He also revealed that he asked the chair umpire to expel the spectator: "When I answer I get a penalty. When I won the match I went to the judge. I have been dealing with hate and negativity for a long time."
"He didn't really come to the game to support anyone. He came to agitate and disrespect. Very good, but if I give it back to you, that's how it is," he said of the person in the audience who called him "shit." "Is that normal? No. But it's happening over and over again," denounced a Kyrgios who will now face Serbian Filip Krajinović in the second round.
"I love Wimbledon. It has nothing to do with the tournament. It's just a generation of people who believe that because they are on social media they have the right to say what they want and they continue to do so in real life," added the Australian, who if there were not a "fence" that separates him from the public, he would "get into trouble".
Before his confrontation with a spectator, the Canberra man argued with the line judges on several occasions. He called one of them a "snitch" and pointed out his advanced age to others: "These people are over 90 years old, they can't see the ball," he complained. A few words that will be studied by Wimbledon for a possible punishment.
As stipulated in the rules issued by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the players "will at no time verbally abuse, directly or indirectly, any official, opponent, sponsor, spectator or other person within the tournament venues".
