Nick Kyrgios uses his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi to hit back at the tennis star who criticized him for reaching out to take controversial money from Saudi Arabia.
- ATP in talks with Saudi sovereign wealth fund
- Gay, the women’s tennis star has spoken out about human rights violations
- Kyrgios responded by using his girlfriend as an example.
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Polarizing Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has come under fire again, this time for using girlfriend Costteen Hatzi to defend his desire to take advantage of the riches on offer at a potential Saudi Arabia-based tournament.
ATP Tour Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi recently held talks with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund about the possibility of the ATP Finals being moved to Saudi Arabia.
The oil-rich nation has invested heavily in the sport in recent years, including the rogue LIV Golf tour, buying Premier League side Newcastle United and luring soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema into its own domestic league. .
There are also talks underway for the nation to buy the naming rights to F1.
Tennis is next on the menu and Kyrgios has previously signaled his strong desire to be “paid” by the wealthy nation.
That has drawn criticism from many fans about the human rights issues surrounding the Gulf nation, including women’s rights and safety.
Kyrgios has been one of the highest profile ATP players to endorse Saudi Arabia as a destination for future tournaments.
Kyrgios and his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi have no problem with human rights issues in Saudi Arabia and are eager to get their hands on the money on offer.
Russian professional tennis player Daria Kasatkina came out as gay in 2022, which is considered a crime in Saudi Arabia with punishments as severe as death.
She has spoken out against the Saudi movement in tennis and the endorsement of Kyrgios, saying it was a different issue for female tennis players.
‘Many issues relating to this country. It’s easier for men because they feel pretty good there. We don’t feel the same way. As Nick Kyrgios said, he would be very happy to go there for a big check. For me, money is not the number 1 priority…’, he posted.
Kyrgios then replied: ‘My girlfriend felt good there.’
Kyrgios has been dating Costteen Hatzi since December 2021 and she travels the world with him.
Some tennis fans suggested that Kasatkina was a hypocrite because WTA players already compete in tournaments in Middle Eastern countries.
“She has been playing Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar for years. What is the difference between those countries and Saudi Arabia? asked one.
“While I don’t disagree, the women have been very happy to play there in tournaments for years.”
Russia’s number 1 player Daria Kasatkina said that conditions in Saudi Arabia are very different for female stars compared to men.
Kasatkina came out as gay last year, which is a crime in Saudi Arabia with punishments including public lashing, imprisonment and, in extreme cases, the death penalty.
Others were quick to criticize Kyrgios for using his girlfriend as a case study despite widely reported issues involving the safety of women in Saudi Arabia.
‘Nick, that’s speaking from personal experience. I could go and talk about how I didn’t get robbed in Rio de Janeiro, but we all know a lot of people DO get robbed there,” one fan responded.
Come on Nick. Dont be rude. You know what’s going on there,” added another.
‘Well, she [Kasatkina] she is a lesbian, so it would be more difficult for her. Though she didn’t say so explicitly,” another noted.
‘So that means that all women [be safe]? A bit of scope here,’ another posted.
Kyrgios is currently sidelined with a wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon, where he was a men’s singles finalist last year.
Prior to that, he had spent more than six months out of tennis after knee surgery ruled him out of the Australian Open.
