© Reuters. Tennis – Australian Open – Fourth Round
(Reuters) – Nick Kyrgios was warned for profanity and scored a point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the Australian threw his racket into the stands during Friday’s 6-3 6-4 loss to Borna Coric at the Murray River Open in Melbourne Park. Kyrgios’ problems started early Friday when he struggled with a left knee problem and needed treatment midway through the game at the Australian Open warm-up event. “I can’t serve without pain. When I land it feels unstable,” Kyrgios told a coach between sets, according to local media. “I’ll probably just play one more game. I’m serving 170 (kph) instead of 220.” The 25-year-old, who played his first tournament in nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, went ahead and was warned by the chair umpire for swearing 4-4 in the second set. After his serve was broken, he smashed his racket and tossed it into the empty stands. On Wednesday, Kyrgios had needed assurances from a tournament supervisor that he would not be fined by the ATP for his behavior in the last round against Harry Bourchier before agreeing to continue playing. In other round of 16 matches on Friday, France’s Jeremy Chardy defeated sixth seed Taylor Fritz 6-2 6-4, while Britain’s Dan Evans won the first set of his match with Marcos Giron before the rain stopped. the game.
