It didn’t take long – actually just two games – but Nick Kyrgios returned to the best stiffness at the John Cain Arena at the Australian Open on Monday night [AEDT].
After a 0-2 break in the first set against the Portuguese Frederico Ferreira Silva, Kyrgios turned his attention to his player’s square, exclaiming loudly: “Tell your girlfriend to get out of my box!”
It is not clear who he was referring to exactly, but it proved to be the catalyst for a rapid change of fortunes; Kyrgios quickly broke down and tied the competition at 2-2, then muttered breathlessly, “I wonder why?”
“Tell your girlfriend to get out of my box!” 😂
Add another classic Nick Kyrgios moment to the list. 🗒
CLOCK: @ Channel9
STREAM: https://t.co/ykPpc0k2wf# 9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ul2PWBlaFQ– The wide world of sports (@wwos) February 8, 2021
From there, the Australian was about to take the lead 5-4 in the set, before stopping the proceedings again, this time denouncing a member of the crowd for speaking between the first and second service of his opponent.
“Shut up, brother, you have a little respect for the child,” Kyrgios said.
He approached the referee after the match, asking him out loud if he was going to do anything about it.
Kyrgios took the first set 6-4 and was rarely disturbed for the rest of his match, occasionally offering some advice and, at one point, asking his opponent for an unused towel while changing heads.
Kyrgios closed out the match 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, but said he is far from playing the best tennis.
“Honestly it was pretty average. I haven’t played a Grand Slam game in over a year. I was nervous,” he said on the field after the victory.
“(But) it was special; I appreciate [the crowd for] coming out. It was a strange year and we all went through it together to make it possible. It felt normal, to be honest, it was good to see [the crowd was] to get crazy”
Kyrgios will face Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round.