Nick Kyrgios fined, apologizes for insulting Stan Wawrinka at Rogers Cup
Warning: Graphic language: Tennis player punished for comment
The ATP fined Nick Kyrgios $10,000 US on Thursday for his "insulting remark" toward Stan Wawrinka during a match at the Rogers Cup in Montreal and an additional $2,500 US for the comment to the ball person.
On Wednesday night, a courtside microphone picked up Kyrgios saying that fellow Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis had slept with a player who is reportedly Wawrinka's girlfriend.
After his fine was announced, Kyrgios apologized via a Facebook post, saying his comments came "in the heat of the moment" but were "unacceptable on many levels."
Kyrgios subsequently made an inappropriate comment to a ball person about the age of Wawrinka's reported girlfriend.
Prior to finding out about the additional fine, Kyrgios said he hoped to move on from the incident.
"It's all cleared now," said Kyrgios. "Obviously I apologized in public and privately as well. I've been fined. So everything is sort of put to bed now."
Following a video review of the match, however, the ATP also served Kyrgios with a "Notice of Investigation" to determine if the Australian's remarks constituted a "major offence." Kyrgios could face more fines and a suspension from future ATP events.
Several fans booed Kyrgios when he took to the court on Thursday. Kyrgios lost to Isner in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. The Montreal crowd's frosty response made headlines in Kyrgios's native Australia.
"It's been tough," he said. "I wouldn't say it's been the toughest thing that's happened. I got some sleep last night."
Wawrinka was livid at Kyrgios's trash talk and took to Twitter after the match to ask the ATP to respond.
"There is no need for this kind of behaviour on or off the court and I hope the governing body of this sport does not stand for this," he posted.
He called the 20-year-old Australian's words "not only unacceptable but also beyond belief."
Kyrgios ended up beating Wawrinka on the court when the Swiss player retired with a lower-back injury while trailing 4-0 in the third set.
In a post-match interview on court, Kyrgios said Wawrinka had provoked him.
"He was getting a bit lippy at me so, I don't know, it's just in-the-moment sort of stuff," Kyrgios said. "I don't really know, I just said it."
Kyrgios and Wawrinka then clashed in the hallway by the locker room.
"It was interesting," said Kyrgios on Thursday of the post-match altercation. "He came up to me, as I knew he would. I wasn't surprised. I told him I was sorry.
The $10,000 fine is the maximum for incidents of verbal abuse or unsportsmanlike conduct.
The 30-year-old Wawrinka, ranked fifth in the world, announced in April that he had separated from his wife, with whom he has a daughter. The Swiss player has since been linked with 19-year-old Donna Vekic of Croatia, who is ranked 127th.
With files from CBC Sports