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ESPN’s Nick Kyrgios sparked backlash because of an online comment disparaging his ex-girlfriend, Anna Kalinskaya, a professional tennis player who is currently dating Italian tennis star and US Open finalist Jannik Sinner.
On a September 7 fan tweet showing a picture of Kyrgios, who has been working as a US Open commentator, and Kalinskaya when they were couple between 2019 and 2020, Krygios commented: “Second serve.”
“Disgusting, Kyrgios continues to show his true nature. Well done @espn 👏,” one fan tweeted.
“Honestly a bit surprised to see ESPN didn’t yank Nick Kyrgios off air mid-#USOpen final, seeing his most recent disparaging tweet about a WTA player circulating,” tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted. “Given his history of demeaning women, women’s tennis, and WTA players, it was already a dubious choice to have him.”
“Imagine calling your ex-girlfriend ‘second serve’ on social media just because you are insecure & sick in the head. And ppl want us to believe his issue with Sinner is just about the doping scandal and he has no axe to grind here,” another person tweeted.
Sinner failed two drug tests in March but avoided suspension “after it was determined the Clostebol entered his system unintentionally,” the AP reported at the time.
Kyrgios, 29, once called the “bad boy of tennis” by Sports Illustrated, has been a controversial figure in tennis for years. He is currently inactive.
Nick Kyrgios Defended His Comments About Jannik Sinner & His Ex-Girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya
Kyrgios, who won the doubles title at the 2022 Australian Open, and is dating Costeen Hatzi, defended himself against the backlash. He tweeted, “Don’t you think it’s hilarious how quickly people get triggered 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 with a couple words, or emojis.. Too much power.”
The 29-year-old then tweeted: “Right… so I’m the one that’s the bad guy for saying something about it? I never brought it up lol 🤣 don’t take offence if people are gonna bring it up. Simple.”
After one fan commented, “This is the expert that ESPN have for the US Open btw,” Kyrgios replied, “Yep, one of handful of players that have beaten all the greatest players – and I enjoy watching and breaking down the WTA tour as well 🙂 excited for the finals 🤩.”
Jannik Sinner Admitted ‘It’s Not Easy’ Dating a Fellow Tennis Star Like His Girlfriend, Anna Kalinskaya
Sinner, 23, confirmed he was dating Kalinskaya, 25, during the French Open in May. “You know, I don’t like to talk much about my private life. Yes, I’m with Anna,” he said, per Tennis.com, “but we keep everything very confidential. I won’t say more.”
In a subsequent interview with Vanity Fair Italia published in June, he opened up about the difficulty of dating another professional athlete. “Of course it’s not easy, I travel a lot and during tournaments I’m very focused. But I think it’s a beautiful thing when you find the right love. Like for everyone,” he told the magazine. “And then, if you think about it, the best tennis players in the world all have wives and children.”
Kalinskaya also competed in the US Open buy lost in the third round to Beatriz Haddad Maia. After losing, she turned her attention to being Sinner’s No. 1 cheerleader, watching him defeat England’s Jack Draper in straight sets in the semifinals.
Sinner, ranked No. 1 in the world, faced American Taylor Fritz in the finals on September 8.
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