By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, December 2, 2024
Photo credit: Rob Carr/Getty
Nick Kyrgios is a massive talent and tennis draw, says Mark Petchey.
But Kyrgios should pipe down with his repeated attacks on Jannik Sinner's doping case—and his assertion the game is growing "boring" with the retirement of Grand Slam champions Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
More: TC Suspends Jon Wertheim
In an extensive interview with Betway, Tennis Channel analyst Petch Petchey says Kyrgios should let the process play out before attacking Sinner's competitive integrity.
"Nick Kyrgios needs to give it a rest on attacking Jannik Sinner over doping saga," Petchey told Betway. “Yes, Nick Kyrgios needs to give it a rest. Sinner has been found not guilty, right?
"And we're about to get the WADA appeal. Let's just wait for that. You have to let the process go through due care and attention. This is a massive thing. It is somebody’s career.”
Kyrgios has criticized what he suggests is a two-tiered star system approach to doping consequences.
Ignorance is more than bliss, Kyrgios suggests, now it’s an escape clause.
In a social media post mocking both Iga Swiatek and Sinner’s statements on how the substance entered their system, Krygios posted “the excuses that we can all use is that we just didn’t know…Professionals at the highest level of the sport can now just say ‘we didn’t know’.”
WADA is appealing Sinner's steroid case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport—and seeking a ban of one to two years for the world No. 1.
“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 seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years.
"WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”
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 hearings.
"All three hearings came out very positively for me. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position.”
Tennis Channel analyst Petchey shot down Kyrgios' suggestion the modern game has grown mundane due to "boring" personalities, countering Carlos Alcaraz shatters that misconception.
"Nick is one of the best tennis players in the world. The question is whether he can do it week in, week out. And that's a real skill and it's a real testament to those players that can do it," Petchey said. “I don’t agree with what he said about the personalities of the current crop of players.
"I think Alcaraz is arguably one of the greatest tennis players already. Are you going to say that one of the greatest tennis players that lights up a tennis court in a way that very few tennis players have had over the years is suddenly dull?"
The Tennis Channel analyst said the contrast of Alcaraz's emotive explosiveness with Sinner's calm sniper shotmaking creates a compelling rivalry reminiscent of classic Fire and Ice.
“I'll always go back to the Fire and Ice era of Borg and McEnroe. If Bjorn had played Bjorn nobody would be talking about that era in terms of how exciting it was," Petchey said. “It was Mac who brought the passion, Jimmy Connors the bad boy. Borg the ice. You need great rivalries and different personalities. It is Fire and Ice 2.0 for me with Jannik and Carlos.
“We might not have the trash talk of the 80s but tennis actually is an unbelievably healthy space. You want to see people who are trying to win big competitions that are being ultra professional in doing that. Otherwise, what are we celebrating? People that are mediocre."