- Nick Kygios targets Cruz Hewitt for posting photo
- The tennis world has turned against the controversial Australian
Nick Kyrgios criticized Cruz Hewitt for posting a photo of himself with Jannik Sinner after training with the world No. 1 ahead of the Australian Open.
Hewitt, the talented son of Australian tennis great Lleyton, had the opportunity to train with Sinner at Melbourne Park ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2025.
Kyrgios, who has been a vocal critic of Sinner, was not happy to see the 16-year-old with the Italian.
The controversial Australian has branded Sinner’s breach of the sport’s anti-doping program “disgusting” and has gone out of his way to attack the Italian at every opportunity.
Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March, but avoided a suspension because the ITIA determined he was not at fault.
Kyrgios has made numerous social media posts challenging the decision and became furious on Monday after seeing Hewitt smiling with Sinner.
Nick Kygios took aim at Cruz Hewitt for posting a photo with Jannik Sinner
Hewitt, son of Australian tennis great Lleyton, had the opportunity to train with Sinner at Melbourne Park on Saturday, and Kyrgios was not impressed.
Kyrgios commented under Cruz’s post: “I love you Cruz but this is crazy,” and then added “Post cooked” with a needle emoji.
The Australian firebrand also wrote: “I thought we were kids” with several broken heart emojis.
Sinner later shared Cruz’s photo and posted: ‘Thanks for joining, good luck!’
Kyrgios has been criticized for the comments and tennis fans say he crossed the line.
Prominent tennis journalist Bastien Fachan posted on
Nick Kyrgios, 29, immediately spams him with derogatory comments and needle emojis. “This is way over the line and it is time for the tennis world to denounce their harassment campaign.”
Another tennis fan posted: ‘Nick Kyrgios will harass a 16-year-old boy online, but the tennis authorities will continue to promote him as if he was once a top 10 player. Then we have to hear him cry for the establishment when he has been the biggest beneficiary of it.
A third posted: ‘A 30-year-old harassing a 16-year-old on social media, seriously?’ Embarrassing.’
Kyrgios casts doubt on the innocence of world number one Jannik Sinner, who still faces the threat of a possible suspension after he tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March.
Another commented: ‘It’s beyond embarrassing. This is harassment right now!’
The sports bad boy called Sinner’s innocence into question in December with another scathing attack.
“Two world number ones convicted of doping is repugnant for our sport,” Kyrgios said. ‘It’s a horrible look.
“The integrity of tennis right now, and everyone knows it but no one wants to talk about it, is horrible.”
Sinner, who failed two anti-doping tests, was cleared of any wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which accepted his explanation of unintentional contamination.
Iga Swiatek received just a one-month suspension after testing positive for a banned heart drug in August, a decision called “illogical” by Simone Halep, who has just returned after 18 months on the sidelines for two anti-doping violations.
While the Pole accepted her punishment and served her suspension, the case against Sinner will continue after WADA, the world anti-doping authority, appealed the ITIA’s decision.
Sinner had successfully argued that his physiotherapist had accidentally contaminated him during treatment for a cut, but Kyrgios clearly has his doubts.
“I pay my team hundreds and thousands of dollars to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said. ‘So they knew what had happened. Why did they wait five to six months to do something about it? He kept his team for five months, that doesn’t make sense.
‘If he didn’t do anything wrong, why did they take away his prize money and points (in Indian Wells)? They obviously found something wrong with this. “Obviously that’s why WADA has appealed.”