Nick Kyrgios holds no regrets about spitting towards the crowd at Wimbledon. Photo / Getty
Nick Kyrgios holds no regrets about spitting towards the crowd at Wimbledon. Photo / Getty
Nick Kyrgios has received a heavy fine for unsportsmanlike conduct during his first-round Wimbledon victory, the largest of the penalties announced so far at the tournament.
On top of the heavy fine, Kyrgios also announced he had withdrawn from the doubles draw where he was supposed to play alongside goodfriend Thanasi Kokkinakis.
At the end of a fiery clash against Paul Jubb earlier this week, Kyrgios admitted to spitting in the direction of "disrespectful" spectators who had been giving him grief.
"In the direction of one of the people disrespecting me, yes," he said when asked if he spat towards the crowd. "I would not do that to someone who was supporting me."
It was revealed on Friday morning Kyrgios has been fined $NZ$16,025 for the vile act.
Asked after his straight sets win over Filip Krajinovic if he regretted his actions at the All England Club, Kyrgios left nobody in any doubt about where he stood.
"Why would you be asking me a question about two days ago? Is it because you have no story for today?" he said.
"I just feel like I'm comfortable in my own skin. Some people love to just tear me down. It's just not possible anymore.
"I just want to give people who watch this press conference or watch my tennis to just believe in yourself, be yourself, don't be someone else up here either. Don't just say what you've been told to say.
"I couldn't care less if there is an investigation about me doing that (spitting), to be brutally honest with you. I know what I bring to the sport.
"I'm one of the most important people in the sport. Do you want to speak about that? Nothing to investigate there because it's just factual."
Nick Kyrgios holds no regrets about spitting towards the crowd at Wimbledon. Photo / Getty
Kyrgios won the Australian Open doubles title alongside Kokkinakis but flagged after defeating Krajinovic his singles charge might have to take priority at Wimbledon this year.
It was soon confirmed the "Special Ks" would not be stepping onto the court together at the All England Club.
"I'm a singles player. My priority has always been singles," Kyrgios said on Friday. "I've made quarter-finals here before, I've won singles titles.
"I played nearly four hours in my first round. Me personally, it was just too much time on court.
"Today, I made up for that. But I want to put my singles as my priority. I'm doing what's best for my body."
In his pre-tournament press conference last weekend, Kyrgios suggested he wasn't too enthused about the prospect of going from best-of-three sets doubles at Melbourne Park to best-of-five at the All England Club.
In an unusual quirk, Wimbledon is the only major on the calendar featuring best-of-five sets in men's doubles.
