Nick Kyrgios fires up on crowd and line judge in five-set win over Paul Jubb

James Richardson
June 28, 2022

Nick Kyrgios was made to work hard for a five-set victory over Paul Jubb in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday but certainly gave the crowd their money’s worth.

Those expecting fireworks from the Australian weren’t disappointed either, as he delivered two outbursts.

First, he took exception to a line judge making an intervention early in the opening set.

“Has one person today come to see her speak?” Kyrgios asked the chair umpire loudly.

“No. I understand, but why is she doing that? Not one person in the stadium has come here to watch her do anything! Not one person.

“Like, you know what I mean? You got fans, but she has got none.

“What did I do? Like, come on. I know, but what? She just selfishly walks to you in the middle of a game because she’s a snitch!”

Kyrgios then took exception to his treatment at the hands of the Court 3 crowd.

“You have to tell them, though,” he said at a changeover. “They have to be respectful. They are spectators who pay money to watch us play. They should be removed.

“Like, I don’t go up to them in their nine-to-five or get up in their face when they’re scanning s*** in the supermarket, do I?

“‘Oh, booo! Yeah, now everything thinks you’re s***!’ Do I say that? They have no right to do that. Why does it keep happening?

“[You] should remove them from the crowd. So spectators who disrespect an athlete is acceptable, but you don’t accept a hat with two logos. But pure disrespect [towards] athletes is fine. Where is the line? If that’s acceptable, then racism is acceptable… where does it stop? Where is the line, you know what I mean?

“What is it? I don’t know. It’s been happening for years now. Years. I would say the same thing – if they were clapping between his first and second serves or saying racial slurs, then I would say the same thing.”

In the end, Kyrgios battled past home favourite Jubb 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-7(3), 7-5 to reach the second round at The Championships, converting five of the six break points he was afforded.

Nick Kyrgios