By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, September 26, 2019
Nick Kyrgios has dodged an immediate ban as the ATP hit the Aussie with a 16-week suspended ban and $25,000 fine for his Cincinnati outburst last month.
Photo credit: Christopher Levy
Nick Kyrgios has dodged an immediate suspension from the ATP for his Cincinnati outburst last month.
The ATP hit the 24-year-old Aussie with a 16-week suspended ban and fine of $25,000. Both the suspension and fine will be imposed if Kyrgios commits a similar rules violation within the next six months.
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Kyrgios, who must also continue to seek support from a mental health coach and undergo counseling "from a professional specializing in behavioral management" during November and December, will avoid the suspension and fine if he does not violate ATP rules within the six-month probationary period.
The Washington, DC champion was assessed five separate unsportsmanlike conduct infractions—one verbal abuse, an audible obscenity and leaving the court—and fined a record $113,000 for his wild meltdown during his Cincinnati second-round loss to Karen Khachanov.
Kyrgios verbally abused chair umpire Fergus Murphy during the tirade and left the court momentarily to smash a couple of racquets.
At the US Open, Kyrgios slammed the ATP as "pretty corrupt anyway" when asked about his fine in Cincinnati, adding. "I'm not fussed about it at all."
Kyrgios took to Twitter to clarify his comments saying he was trying to point out a double standard—rather than corruption—on the ATP Tour.
"It was not the correct choice of words and my point and intention was to address what I see as double standards rather than corruption," Kyrgios said. "I know my behavior has been at times controversial and that has landed me in trouble, which at times is granted and valid but my issue is around others whether gaining the same, less or more media attention doing the same or similar behavior and not being sanctioned. That's my issue and continues to be."
The ATP said it investigated Kyrgios' corruption comment and ruled "following a clarification issued by the player the following day, it was determined that the incident did not constitute a Player Major Offense, and no additional penalties were applied."