Nick Kyrgios took to social media to return serve at Australia’s United Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt.
The retired Hewitt was critical of Kyrgios for his communication with the team before withdrawing from the United Cup at the 11th hour.
Kyrgios, after learning that former girlfriend Ajla Tomljanovic also withdrew from her match on Friday, took aim at Hewitt.
“Mmm I wonder if Stosur will throw her under the bus like our captain did for me … ‘hard to prepare when you don’t know what’s going on’,” Kyrgios tweeted in relation to Hewitt’s comments the night before.
Hewitt, Australia’s United Cup captain, fronted the media on Thursday night after Alex de Minaur’s first-up loss to Cameron Norrie – a match in which Kyrgios was scheduled to play against the Brit at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena before withdrawing due to an ankle injury.
Hewitt wasn’t in Sydney when Kyrgios withdrew, stranded overseas due to a plane delay, but didn’t miss when he was asked about it.
“Probably just responding,” Hewitt said when asked how communication could be improved with the world No.22. “That’s the normal way of doing it. There was a little while [between response].
“It’s more just the communication. If it was just worrying Nick, that’s one thing. When it revolves around the team and other people and their preparation to be playing the best they possibly can leading into the Australian Open, that’s probably the hardest thing.
“I’m so proud of this bloke [de Minaur] and the effort and how he makes playing for his country a priority. It’s something I’m very proud of him. I think for the whole team it was pretty tough not knowing what was going on the last 24 hours.”
Nick Kyrgios at the practice courts at the United Cup at Sydney Olympic Park.Credit:Nick Moir, The Sydney Morning Herald
Hewitt was recently critical of Kyrgios rejecting Australia’s invitation to play in the Davis Cup final against Canada. He doubled down on Thursday before Kyrgios responded.
Earlier in the day, Kyrgios was spotted at Sydney Olympic Park on the practice courts, before posting a photo on Instagram with his friends after what appeared to be a game of basketball.
USA and Italy secure victories
An injury retirement gave the US an unassailable 3-1 lead over the Czech Republic on day two of the United Cup.
Italy also took a 3-1 lead over Brazil on Friday in the best-of-five-match format when Lucia Bronzetti blew Laura Pigossi off the court with a 6-0, 6-2 win at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.
World No.19 Frances Tiafoe took the first set 6-3 against Czech player Tomas Machac, but Machac was leading 4-2 in the second set when he rolled his ankle and was forced to retire in Sydney. Tiafoe said Machac was playing extremely well when he went down, and he felt for his opponent.
“We were in the midst of a battle,” Tiafoe said after the win. “It sucks that I got over the line this way. You don’t want to see that. Hopefully he can get right for the Australian Open.”
The Czech Republic earlier stayed in the tie courtesy of Petra Kvitova’s 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 win over world No.3 Jessica Pegula. The US had a 2-0 lead after the first day’s play. The first set went for a marathon 76 minutes and 13 per cent of the points played were set points.
Both women saved multiple set points and it was no surprise that the opening set went to a tie-breaker. Pegula was in control when leading 5-1, but Kvitova fought back brilliantly to take the tie-breaker. The world No.16 then broke Pegula early in the second set and did not take her foot off the throat.
Meanwhile, the power game of Italy’s Matteo Berrettini proved decisive in his 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) win over Brazilian Thiago Monteiro. The win gave Italy a 2-1 lead in their tie after both countries won matches on day one.
The Italian world No.16 raced through his service games and broke his opponent to take the first set courtesy of awesome forehand hitting. Monteiro was tenacious and took the second set to a tie-breaker, which Berrettini won after saving two set points.
Bronzetti then put the tie out of reach for Brazil with a near perfect first set against Pigossi and she backed it up in the second.
In Perth, world No.6 Maria Sakkari started her summer in style, cruising past injury-hit Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova in straight sets. Sakkari’s 6-3, 6-2 victory gave Greece an unassailable 3-0 lead in the tie after world No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas and Despina Papamichail posted tough three-set singles wins a day earlier.
with AAP
