A Nick Kyrgios loss, a Nick Kyrgios meltdown. It’s a tale as old as time.
On Tuesday night, the Aussie firebrand — who was the No. 23 seed — was in a heated battle with No. 27 seed Karen Khachanov at the US Open for nearly four hours when the fifth and final set took a turn for the worse.
In the end, Kyrgios was bounced from the tournament 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, and a signature meltdown ensued.
Kyrgios had been keeping his composure during his red hot run, but after losing in the quarterfinals his temper flared. Kyrgios walked towards his seat and proceeded to smash two of his rackets on the court before storming off.
Anyone know how Nick Kyrgios’ match went at the US Open? 🤣🤷♂️ #kyrgios #USOpen pic.twitter.com/mMNbT7S73J
— Adam Smithy (@AdamJSmithy) September 7, 2022
After the match, Kyrgios explained his emotional outburst by saying he felt like he let people down.
“I feel like sh*t,” he told the media. “I feel like I’ve let so many people down. I just, I don’t know. It’s just devastating,. Like, it’s heartbreaking.”
Kyrgios had previous meltdowns earlier in the year which included spitting in the direction of a fan and calling out a drunken fan. Now, this latest temper tantrum puts a stain on what was an otherwise incredible run.
As for Khachanov, he will face off against No. 5 seed Casper Ruud in the semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday, September 9 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
