'Corrupt': Nick Kyrgios' outrageous claim about ATP after record fine
Nick Kyrgios has accused the ATP of being corrupt in a sensational aftermath to his US Open first-round win over American Steve Johnson at Flushing Meadows.
The tennis firebrand was asked what he thought about being fined a record $US113,000 ($A167,000) for his spectacular meltdown in Cincinnati this month.
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"The ATP is pretty corrupt anyway. I'm not fussed about it at all," he said in a development that will almost certainly force the governing body of men's tennis to suspend the Australian, having already said it was considering such a move.
Kyrgios made the comments during his on-court interview after defeating Johnson, 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-4, to advance to the second round.
When a reporter asked a follow-up question about his use of the word 'corrupt', Kyrgios first referenced his fines totalling $113,000.
Then he added: 'Why are we talking about something that happened three weeks ago, when I just chopped up someone (in the) first round of U.S. Open?'
The Australian’s match was typically not without controversy, as Johnson was heard on the court microphone asking Kyrgios if he wanted to ‘play some f***ing tennis or host a s***show?’.
Kyrgios was in the midst of a separate dispute with the chair umpire over movement and noise in the crowd when Johnson piped up.
Open draw for Kyrgios as stars falter
Kyrgios crunched 24 aces and 20 clean winners in setting up a meeting on Thursday with French wildcard Antoine Hoang, the world No.104.
Earlier, Kyrgios’ quarter of the draw completely opened up after four top-10 players all crashed out.
Austria's Dominic Thiem, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, Russian Karen Khachanov and Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut were all sent packing before Rafael Nadal restored some semblance of order at Flushing Meadows.
"That's tennis," Nadal, who used a clinical display to beat John Millman in his New York opener, told reporters when asked about the slew of upsets.
Spanish 10th seed Bautista Agut, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last month, was the first major casualty as he lost 3-6 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3 to Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin.
Eighth-seeded Tsitsipas, who reached this year's Australian Open semi-final, was the next out the door as he fell 6-4 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 7-5 to Russian Andrey Rublev during a match in which the Greek lashed out at the umpire saying: "You're French probably. ... You're all weirdos."
Austrian fourth seed Thiem, who was projected to meet Nadal in the semi-finals, then followed his peers to the exits as he suffered a 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-2 loss to unseeded Italian Thomas Fabbiano, making him the highest-seeded casualty.
WITH AAP
