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Kyrgios refuses to apologise aiming to hit Nadal with the ball

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Kyrgios refuses to apologise aiming to hit Nadal with the ball

Nick Kyrgios confessed he was aiming to hit Rafael Nadal with the ball during their second round match – before he shrugged off his defeat with a night out in the pub.

The 24-year-old Australian refused to apologise for deliberately thrashing a forehand directly at his opponent in their ill-tempered grudge match at Wimbledon yesterday.

The tennis badboy admitted he was ‘going for him’ and told a press conference after his four set defeat: ‘I wanted to hit him square in the chest.’ 

He said: ‘I don’t care. Why would I apologise? I mean, the dude has got how many slams, how much money in the bank account? 

‘I think he can take a ball to the chest. I’m not going to apologise to him at all.’ 

His confession has sparked an angry backlash on social media, with fans calling for the ‘spoiled brat’ to be fined or ‘banned’ from the sport.

Hours later he was back at the pub for a second night in a row, filming himself on Instagram singing along to music while relaxing with friends at a private event.

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Nick Kyrgios refused to apologise after admitting he aimed to hit Rafael Nadal with the ball

During the third set, the controversial Australian hit Nadal (top) with the ball during a rally

The Spaniard managed to stop the ball from hitting his body with his racquet

In one clip he is seen drinking from a cup and films a game of beer pong, with several bottles of lager lined up on a table. 

Just 24 hours earlier, and the night before his second round clash on Centre Court, he was spotted at the Dog & Fox Pub in Wimbledon, where he stayed until around 11pm. 

Broadcaster Piers Morgan tweeted after he admitted to aiming for Nadal on purpose: ‘The only redeeming feature about Kyrgios is that the repulsive spoiled brat knows exactly how awful he is & simply doesn’t care.’

A user wrote: ‘He was absolutely disgusting. There is no way he should have been allowed to continue the game after his outburst at the umpire. 

‘He was completely disrespectful to the umpire, Nadal and the spectators.’

Nick Kyrgios has shrugged off his defeat by Rafael Nadal by partying on Thursday night

Another said: ‘How can anyone defend Nick Kyrgios? He’s said he deliberately smashed the ball into Nadal which could cause a serious injury. 

‘Can you imagine a footballer coming out saying he purposely tried to injure an opponent? He would get a ban.’

A user tweeted: ‘Nick Kyrgios should be fined for admitting publicly that he deliberately fired a ball at Nadal. “Why should I apologise, he’s won so many slams, has so much money, he can take a ball to the chest”! That could kill someone!

And another wrote: ‘Just shows how childish & pathetic this man is. It’s a wonder he didn’t start crying & run away with all the balls, just like a spoilt brat who can’t have his own way. PATHETIC!!!

A game of beer pong in played as Kyrgios parties along with friends on Thursday evening

A user added: ‘Nick Kyrgios should be fined for admitting publicly that he deliberately fired a ball at Nadal. “Why should I apologise, he’s won so many slams, has so much money, he can take a ball to the chest”! That could kill someone!’ 

Kyrgios struggled to keep his cool during the encounter which the Spaniard won 6-3 3-6 7-6 (5) 7-6 (3).

As well as aiming to his Nadal with the ball, there were several other controversial moments during the spectacle.

Kyrgios argued with the umpire and delivered his trademark underarm serve on two different occasions.

Nadal was particularly angered by his use of underarm which also drew boos from the Centre Court crowd.

Nadal refuses to break eye contact with Kyrgios following the incident on Centre Court

The 18-times Grand Slam winner appeared rattled at his opponent’s antics, loudly celebrating points in a display of emotional that is unusual for him.    

After the match, the Spaniard branded Kyrgios ‘dangerous.’ 

During the press conference, Kyrgios told journalists: ‘Why would I apologise? 

‘I didn’t hit him. Hit his racket, no? Why would I apologise? I won the point.

‘I don’t care. Why would I apologise? I mean, the dude has got how many slams, how much money in the bank account? I think he can take a ball to the chest. I’m not going to apologise to him at all.

His confession has sparked an angry backlash on social media, with fans calling for him to be fined or ‘banned’ from the sport, saying he could have caused serious injury

‘I was going for him. I wanted to hit him square in the chest. Like, he’s got decent hands.’  

In the frosty press conference, he was asked whether he could have ‘played a bit better’ if he didn’t spend the night down the pub.

He replied to the journalist: ‘No. You look way too excited to ask that question. You must have a really boring life.’

In a rare light moment, Kyrgios recognised a female journalist he had been partying with at a pub the night before his loss.

Three minutes into the conference, the journalist said: ‘Nick, you played a great match’.

Kyrgios turned to face her and his eyes lit up. ‘You, you were at the pub last night,’ he said, smiling and pointing at her.

Kyrgios also vented his frustration at umpire Damien Dumusois, who he labelled a ‘disgrace’

The Australian was perplexed by the notion that he should have said sorry to Nadal

‘Oh yes, I know,’ the woman replied, drawing a big laugh from the other reporters in the room.

Nick Kyrgios blushes as he recognises a female journalist he had been partying with the night before loss to Nadal

Nick Kyrgios recognised a female journalist he had been partying with at a pub the night before his loss to Rafael Nadal when she asked a question in his press conference.

Three minutes into the conference, the journalist said: ‘Nick, you played a great match’.

Kyrgios turned to face her and his eyes lit up. ‘You, you were at the pub last night,’ he said, smiling and pointing at her.

‘Oh yes, I know,’ the woman replied, drawing a big laugh from the other reporters in the room.

‘You are ruining my reputation,’ she joked.

Kyrgios then sat up in his chair and said: ‘Ah OK, that’s hilarious’.

He then said ‘yeah sorry’ and tried to keep a straight face to answer the question.

But the 24-year-old Australian cracked another smile, shook his head in disbelief and said ‘this is awkward’.

Eventually the reporter was able to ask her question about his serve and volley tactics.

Later on Twitter, the publisher of Inside Tennis magazine, Bill Simmons, said the journalist was one of his freelance writers, Lucia Hoffman.

Hoffman was pictured being kissed on the cheek by Kyrgios at Wimbledon’s Dog and Fox pub on Wednesday night. 

Simmons wrote: ‘Kyrgios jokes with our writer Lucia Hoffman and says you were at the pub late last night.’  

‘You are ruining my reputation,’ she joked. Kyrgios then sat up in his chair and said: ‘Ah OK, that’s hilarious’.

He then said ‘yeah sorry’ and tried to keep a straight face to answer the question.

But the 24-year-old Australian cracked another smile, shook his head in disbelief and said ‘this is awkward’. 

Later on Twitter, the publisher of Inside Tennis magazine, Bill Simmons, said the journalist was one of his freelance writers, Lucia Hoffman.

Hoffman was pictured being kissed on the cheek by Kyrgios at Wimbledon’s Dog and Fox pub on Wednesday night. 

Sports commentator Miguel Seabra on Twitter wrote on Wednesday night: ‘I just had a toast with Nick Kyrgios at the Dog & Fox. 

‘He is completely relaxed, laughing with friends, chatting with girls, drinking. Quite an unorthodox preparation for tomorrow’s blockbuster, uh? I like it.’

Nadal, aiming for a third Wimbledon crown, said after the match: ‘The history of this sport is about respect and is about playing fair during the whole time.

‘I don’t say Nick does this stuff to bother the opponent, but it is true that sometimes he’s dangerous.

‘When he hits the ball like this, is dangerous. It is not dangerous for me, it is dangerous for a line referee, dangerous for a crowd.

‘When you hit the ball like this, you don’t know where the ball goes.

‘I know he’s a big talented player, but I am a professional player too. I know when you hit this kind of ball, the ball can go anywhere.

‘This time the ball went in, almost hit me, no problem. I am professional, so I know how to avoid this.

‘But another one, the ball goes straight to the back. So (it would) have been a dangerous moment for the line umpire.

‘That ball hits an eye or something like this, is a problem. That’s it.  

Despite their war of words and heated match, the pair still shook hands following the result

Kyrgios didn’t appear too down about his defeat as he partied with friends at a private event

‘Is not about that I am angry about him at all. It’s about I want to play a match of tennis. Sometimes it is difficult.’ 

One of the catalysts of the spat between the two players is Kyrgios’ frustration at Nadal’s speed of play, something that earned him a warning for venting at umpire Damien Dumusois, who he called a ‘disgrace’.

He later added ‘terrible’ to his description of the official.

Kyrgios added: ‘I’m serving, I’m like starting my routine. Rafa said, ‘Stop’.

Nick Kyrgios (right at Wimbledon) prepared for his match with Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon with a night down the Dog & Fox pub nearby. He is pictured left kissing tennis journalist Lucia Hoffman on the cheek

Kyrgios was seen at the Dog & Fox pub, pictured, until around 11pm Wednesday, just hours before his match with Nadal

‘The rule is like play to the speed of the server. Why do I have to wait for him to get into his rhythm every time?

‘I got angry at the ref. He’s like, ‘No, I’ll tell him what I want to tell him’.

‘I was like, ‘Oh, a little bit of a power trip there’. He obviously feels pretty important sitting up in the chair.

‘He was just terrible. I thought the way he handled the match was just bad.

‘I just don’t think he was up to scratch today. That’s most definitely not why I lost.’ 

Kyrgios and Nadal’s rocky relationship originated in Acapulco in February where Kyrgios beat Nadal on his way to win the Mexican Open.

He brought out an underarm serve in the three-set win, which caused the Spaniard to accuse his opponent of lacking ‘respect for the public, the rival and towards himself’. 

Kyrgios branded Nadal ‘super salty’ in an explosive podcast after the Spaniard took exception to being under-armed.

Kyrgios then dubbed Nadal’s uncle Toni ‘an idiot’ after being accused of being uneducated and lacking respect for his tour rivals.  

Love match? Eugenie Bouchard sparks speculation she’s dating Nick Kyrgios after cheering him on in his box at Wimbledon

Tennis golden girl Eugenie Bouchard sparked rumours she’s dating Nick Kyrgios after she was spotted cheering him on from his private box at Wimbledon

Keen observers noticed Bouchard – who was eliminated in the first round of the ladies singles – chose to side with Kyrgios during his second-round grudge match against Rafael Nadal.

She and her sister Charlotte were spotted taking selfies inside the box and cheering Kyrgios on.

The Canadian tennis star sparked further whispers when she posted a photo on Twitter of the Aussie serving along with three love heart eye emojis.

Tennis golden girl Eugenie Bouchard (left) has sparked rumours she’s dating Nick Kyrgios after she was spotted cheering him on from his private box at Wimbledon

Kyrgios and Bouchard are famous off-court friends. The pair practised with one another in the lead-up to the Wimbledon tournament and have played mixed doubles together in the past

She then publicly defended him as complaints started pouring in about his ‘lazy’ and ‘disrespectful’ underarm serve.

‘It has nothing to do with lack of respect. It’s literally just a different way to hit a serve,’ she said.

‘Underarm serves aren’t against the rules. It’s a tactic. Anything to win the point.’

Kyrgios and Bouchard are famous off-court friends.

The pair practiced with one another in the lead-up to the Wimbledon tournament and have played mixed doubles together in the past. 

‘He’s so chill, he’s very nice and was making the practice for me, which I appreciated,’ Bouchard said.

‘I asked him to do a couple really hard serves. I was able to return a few.

‘It’s great for reaction because the ball comes so much faster — a different spin, more aggressive spin. Usually after hitting with a guy like that the ball seems slower when I’m hitting with a girl.’

The Canadian tennis star sparked further whispers when she posted a photo on Twitter of the Aussie serving along with three love heart eye emojis

She and her sister Charlotte (left) were spotted taking selfies inside the box and cheering Kyrgios on

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