By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty
Nick Kyrgios sees Happy Slam as a great hunting ground.
Two-time Australian Open 2022 champion Kyrgios shared his main mission for Melbourne: Throw his shot at the defending champion Jannik the Sinner.
Dream Team: Djokovic and Kyrgios to partner in Brisbane
Conversations with friends and former ATP professionals John Isner AND Jack Sock IN Nothing big podcast, Kyrgios said he dreams of a Sinner showdown at the Australian Open.
The 29-year-old Kyrgios, a caustic critic of Sinner since news broke that the world No.1 had failed two doping tests last March, outlined his tactical approach if the match breaks down. Kyrgios intends to apply the crowd support if he faces the Sinner Down Under.
The king of chaos Kyrgios said he will try to turn it into an absolute riot if they meet in Melbourne.
“Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner,” Kyrgios said Nothing big podcast.
“I thought about this (strategy). If I played him at the Australian Open, I would have every person in the crowd match him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot.
“All respect would go out the window and I would do anything to win.”
In their only previous meeting, Sinner stopped Kyrgios 7-6(3), 6-3 in the round of 16 at the 2022 Miami Open.
Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios has criticized what he suggests is a two-tier star system approach to the consequences of doping.
The excuse we can all use is that we didn’t know. I just didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of the sport can now simply say “we didn’t know” 👏
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) November 29, 2024
In a social media post mocking Iga Swiatek and Sinner’s statements about how the substance got into their system, Krygios posted “the excuses we can all use is that we just didn’t know… Professionals at the highest level of the sport now you can just say “we didn’t know”.
WADA is appealing Sinner’s steroid case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport – and is seeking a one- to two-year ban for the reigning US Open champion.
“It is WADA’s view that the finding of ‘no fault or negligence’ was not correct under the applicable rules,” WADA said in a statement in September. “WADA is looking for a period of ineligibility between one and two years.
“WADA is not seeking disqualification of any result other than that already established by the court of first instance.”
WADA appeals the case of tennis player Jannik Sinner. Read more here: https://t.co/vExHGdmkZG
— WADA (@wada_ama) September 28, 2024
Reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner said Sinner said he was “very disappointed” by WADA’s appeal.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed and also surprised,” Sinner told the media. “We had three sessions.
“All three sessions were very positive for me. Maybe they just want to make sure everything is in the right position.”
Tennis Channel analyst Mark Petchey publicly called for Kyrgios to step down after his repeated attacks on Sinner’s competitive integrity.
In a wide interview with Betway earlier this month, Petchey says Kyrgios should allow the WADA appeals process to play out before attacking Sinner’s competitive integrity.
“Nick Kyrgios should take time out to attack Jannik Sinner over doping saga.” Petchey told Betway. “Yes, Nick Kyrgios needs to rest. The sinner is found innocent, right?
“And we’re ready to take the WADA appeal. Let’s wait for that. You have to let the process go through with due care and attention. This is a massive thing. It’s somebody’s career.”
Rather than rest, Kyrgios seems intent on igniting a firestorm of controversy ahead of Sinner’s first title defence.
