Nick Kyrgios, tennis’ mercurial talent is the sport’s archetypical bad boy. Numerous times over the years, the Aussie hothead has gotten into trouble with his outbursts on the tennis court.
From breaking racquets to throwing towels and balls recklessly, Nick has faced the brunt of the officials’ ire for his outspoken and brash behaviour on the court. It was hence a controversial decision by Tennis Channel to bring Nick on board its expert panel for the ongoing Nitto ATP Finals, one that has brought its fair share of criticism and rebuttals from various sources.
Why is Nick Kyrgios facing criticism?
The crux of people’s criticism of Nick Kyrgios lies in the notion that he doesn’t have the required composure and expertise to share valuable thoughts on the game. Nick himself came under the spotlight during the channel’s coverage when he hilariously labelled himself a ‘composed’ individual when describing Andrey Rublev’s racquet smash on his knee.
Even @NickKyrgios believes Rublev went overboard when he smashed his knee with his racquet đ#TCLive pic.twitter.com/av43izjEFI
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 15, 2023
Nick Kyrgios is no doubt an accomplished athlete. He is a Wimbledon finalist and a former world No. 13. His addition to the expert panel comes with its required qualification criteria and Nick meets them with ease.
However, it is his partnering with legends of the game like Andy Roddick that has made some feel like the channel is overvaluing his candidacy. That coupled with the fact that many opine that Nick is not the best torchbearer of the sport has left fans in rage about his appointment.
Nick is no beacon of composure, that is for sure. His surreal outbursts on the court, admonishment of officials and fans, animosity towards opponents and usage of inanimate objects as devices of destruction all have contributed to his image as the mischief-maker of tennis.
Nevertheless, despite a heap of criticism being unloaded on the Aussie across social media platforms, some notable celebrity figures rushed to his support and left Nick with some source of comfort.
Eugenie Bouchard defends Nick Kyrgios amid criticism
Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard rushed to Nick Kyrgios’ support when a user on Twitter lambasted the 28-year-old and Tennis Channel for appointing him as part of their coverage crew.
In a succinct response to the fan’s criticism, summarised in four concise words, Eugenie retorted at the unfair fault-finding Nick faced in the light of his appointment.
In the comment section on Instagram, one person wrote, “When are you people going to stop giving this guy (Kyrgios) a platform.” Bouchard replied to that person: “Stop being a hater!”
girl- pic.twitter.com/0ZhQHGOz3Y
— f â (@kerber_IN) November 16, 2023
Nick Kyrgios’s entry to TV commentary has put the sport under the spotlight and both the player and his employer were looking forward to their partnership on live television for the first time.
“Nick Kyrgios, whose electric style of play and straight-to-the-point conversational approach have endeared him to millions of fans around the world, is joining Tennis Channel as an analyst during its coverage of the ATP Finals November 12-19,” Tennis Channel said in a statement last week.
“I feel like I’m a student of the game. I can give insights. You know I’ve been on court with most of these guys, I’ve shared locker room moments. I can give bit of a different look,” Kyrgios said in his broadcasting debut.
Nick shared his thoughts on the Carlos Alcaraz-Andrey Rublev match and the Daniil Medvedev-Alexander Zverev match on Wednesday. His commentary will continue through the course of the eight-day tournament.
What are your opinions on Nick Kyrgios’ appointment as an expert on Tennis Channel? Let us know in the comments section below.
