Australian great says ‘it is good’ Nick Kyrgios is ‘calling people out’, but wants it done behind closed doors

Nick Kyrgios irritated

Australian legend John Newcombe has backed Nick Kyrgios for “calling people out” during the coronavirus pandemic, but admits he doesn’t like the fact that the dirty laundry is being aired in public.

Kyrgios took to social media last week to hit out at the controversial Adria Tour after it came to a shuddering halt as world No 1 Novak Djokovic, Girgor Dimitrov, Borna Coric, Viktor Troicki and several non-playing staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

Nick Kyrgios lambasts ‘bonehead decision’ to stage Adria Tour after two players test positive for Covid-19

Alexander Zverev also featured in the Balkans exhibition tournament, but returned a negative test and promised to self-isolate.

However, a video of Zverev partying emerged on social media over the weekend and Kyrgios was critical of the German.

Enter Boris Becker.

The tennis great then got involved in a Twitter spat with Kyrgios, writing: “We should protect our families/loved ones and follow the guidelines but still don’t like #rats.”

Boris Becker and ‘rat’ Nick Kyrgios involved in Twitter spat as Adria Tour bickering continues

Newcombe says Kyrgios is in his right to criticise those who don’t adhere to Covid-19 protocols, but feels it should not be done in public.

“Nick is Nick. The other guys are obviously stupid,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I don’t go out of my way to think about what Nick is thinking.

“You wouldn’t know what he is going to come up with next but I think it’s good that he’s calling people out. If that’s what he wants to do, that’s good.

“I know when we were playing, if you had a problem you took it to the person. You didn’t make it public. But it’s a different world, I guess.”

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