Kyrgios given provisional suspension, fine for Wawrinka comments
Australia's Nick Kyrgios was provisionally suspended 28 days and fined $25,000 for his Aug. 12 comments about Stan Wawrinka, the Association of Tennis Professionals announced Monday.
After further review of his comments at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, which were picked up by courtside microphones, ATP officials found that Kyrgios committed the major offense of “Aggravated Behavior.”
Both punishments will be waived, however, if Kyrgios avoids additional fines at ATP events until Feb. 24.
In Montreal earlier this month, TV cameras picked up Kyrgios telling Wawrinka during a match that fellow Australian player Thanasi Kokkinakis had slept with Wawrinka’s girlfriend, Croatian tennis player Donna Vekic.
“This incident was egregious and reflected poorly on our sport,” the ATP's head of rules and competition Gayle David Bradshaw said regarding Kyrgios's punishment. “Nick has expressed regret, and the best result would be that he learns a lesson from this incident and that he understands he is responsible to the Tour and to fellow players for both his actions and his words. It is with these factors in mind I feel he should have the opportunity to ‘earn’ his way out of additional sanctions.”
• Stan Wawrinka: Nick Kyrgios has not apologized for comment
Kyrgios, who reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and 2015 Australian Open, was initially fined $10,000 by the ATP for his comments about Wawrinka. He was also dealt a $2,500 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct related to a comment made to a ball person during that same match.
It is unknown whether Kyrgios will play in this year's U.S. Open, which begins next week in New York. Since the U.S. Open is not an ATP tournament, the 20-year-old remains eligible for it.
- Kayla Lombardo
