Polarising Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios begged a fellow commentator at Wimbledon not to mention his past legal troubles, but it wasn’t his run-of-the-mill assault allegation against an ex-girlfriend he was trying to suppress.
Kyrgios returns to the BBC commentary team at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club this year after last playing a competitive tennis match in June 2023 due to a shocking run of injuries.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has battled serious wrist, knee and foot ailments over the past two years, not to mention several legal dramas along the way.
That included being charged with common assault for pushing his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari, a crime to which he pleaded guilty in 2021.
Kyrgios was unimpressed when fellow BBC One commentator and former tennis star Andrew Castle mentioned a completely different drama.
Instead, the veteran commentator decided to quiz Kyrgios on removing a female spectator from the crowd at Wimbledon during his men’s singles final loss to Novak Djokovic, saying at the time “he looks like he’s had about 700 drinks.”
“She distracts me when I’m serving in a Wimbledon final. There’s no bigger occasion, you didn’t believe me and then she did it again. It almost cost me the match,” Kyrgios ranted.
“Why is she still here? She’s drunk as a skunk and talking to me in the middle of a game. What’s acceptable? Kicking her out. I know exactly who she is. The one in the dress, she looks like she’s had like 700 drinks, bro.”
Nick Kyrgios has taken on the role of commentator after a series of injuries halted his tennis career over the past two years.
Kyrgios and Castle were discussing the clash between English tennis players Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie when the incident occurred.
Draper complained to the chair umpire about a member of the crowd, saying “that guy needs to stop talking during my serve,” prompting a warning to the crowd from the umpire.
Castle was quick to seize on the parallels, joking: ‘Draper’s a little irritated with someone. Maybe he had 500 beers, mate?’
Kyrgios was quick to respond: “Oh no! We can’t mention that, I’ll get in trouble!”
“Since when are you trying to avoid it?” Castle asked.
“Yeah, you’re not wrong,” Kyrgios replied with a laugh.
Castle: “Move over? Be a good boy?”
Kyrgios: ‘I’m trying to find balance’
While Kyrgios could see the funny side of the incident, the case was different in 2022, when the Australian star paid a very high fine for his allegations.
The woman in question was Polish lawyer Anna Palus, who claimed she had only consumed two alcoholic drinks and decided to start a defamation case against Kyrgios to “clear her name”.
Polish lawyer Anna Palus was briefly banned from Wimbledon after Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios wrongly accused her of drinking ‘700 drinks’
She insisted at the time that she was not a lawyer who would normally consider that course of action, but she felt she had no other choice.
“I am not litigious, but after much thought I have come to the conclusion that I have no alternative but to instruct my lawyers at Brett Wilson LLP to commence defamation proceedings against Mr Kyrgios to clear my name,” she said in a statement.
Kyrgios later apologised to Palus and admitted he was “wrong” in his claim on Centre Court and proceedings were abandoned.
“I accept that belief was wrong and I apologise,” Kyrgios said at the time.
‘To make up for this, I have donated £20,000 to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, a charity chosen by Mrs Palus.
“I will not comment on this matter again.”
It is the second time this tournament that Kyrgios has come under fire for his past troubles with the law.
Earlier, Conservative MP and chair of the women and equalities committee Caroline Nokes said the BBC “should hang its head in shame” for installing the Australian star as a commentator after he pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari.
Kyrgios is pictured with his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari. He pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault against her in 2021
Kyrgios was not criminally charged for pushing his ex-girlfriend to the ground during an argument in Canberra in 2021.
The act, described as common assault, was considered a moment of “stupidity” and “frustration” rather than a planned action. According to the BBC, this incident should not affect its ability to work on its coverage.
“As a current and high-profile player, Nick Kyrgios will provide insight and analysis of the on-court action from his experience of the game,” the BBC said in a statement.
‘We in no way condone his past actions or behavior, on and off the court, and he is employed to share his views on tennis only.
‘It has provided similar services to other major sports broadcasters in recent months.
‘The legal process he was involved in has already concluded, it is well documented and he has spoken about it publicly.’
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