'I don't boo when they're scanning their shopping': Kyrgios rant at Wimbledon

28 June 2022, 17:15 | Updated: 29 June 2022, 00:38

Nick Kyrgios has lashed out at the chair umpire at Wimbledon after crowds booed him while playing on court.

It took only 12 minutes for the Australian tennis player to kick off on day two of Wimbledon, having a number of prickly chats with line judges and spectators during his game against British number eight Paul Jubb.

Speaking about crowd noise to umpire Marija Cicak in the first set, Kyrgios said: "You can't f***ing decide to talk to me in the middle of the point when I'm about to do a backhand, it can't be happening bro.

"They can watch the tennis but speaking and shouting out in the middle of the point, like why? I don't know where it was."

He lost his temper for a second time when he told the umpire he heard "racial slurs" from the crowd, saying: "So pure disrespect from a spectator to an athlete is acceptable at Wimbledon? But you don't accept a hat with two logos? When's the line?

"That's acceptable, racism is acceptable so when does it stop? So where's the line?"

Fans grew more frustrated with Kyrgios and began to boo the Australian player - causing him to kick off once again and repeat calls for loud spectators to be "removed".

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"They [the fans] have no right to do that, why is it still happening? You should remove them from the crowd. Booing is acceptable at Wimbledon?" he ranted.

"You have to tell them [to stop]. They're spectators. They don't have any right to do that.

"They're spectators who spend money to come watch us play. They should be removed.

"I don't go up to their face in their 9-5 and start clapping when they're scanning s*** at a supermarket, do I?

"Like 'boo yeah well done you can't scan that...'

"They have no right to do that so why does it keep happening?"

Afterwards, Kyrgios acknowledged the added challenge he faced with the crowds, saying in his on-court interview: "[Paul Jubb] played some exceptional tennis at times and the crowd were pretty rowdy today.

"A couple of people in the crowd were not shy of criticising me, so that one was for you - you know who you are.

"I thought I was going to go down there and it would have been a tough, tough loss to take so I am just happy to be through."

It is not the first time Kyrgios has lashed out on the court.

At the 2016 Australian Open, he complained about the music as well as swearing and throwing his racket across the court after losing his match.

There was also tension at the 2019 Rogers cup, when he refused to participate in his match until he was given a clean towel instead of a tournament-branded one.

He was issued a £98,904 fine in the same year for smashing two racquets and calling the umpire a "f**king tool" at the Cincinnati Masters.