Nick Kyrgios blasts tennis legend in furious Australian Open spray

Nick Kyrgios has lashed out in response to a panel discussion from tennis experts about his career.

The mercurial Aussie was knocked out of the Australian Open on Friday night, blowing a two-set lead to lose 6-4 6-4 3-6 4-6 4-6 to World No.3 Dominic Thiem.

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And while Kyrgios cut a dejected figure on court after the match, he was even filthier while taking to social media in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Kyrgios fired back at a tweet from the Tennis Channel featuring a discussion with legendary women's player Martina Navratilova, Sports Illustrated executive editor and senior writer Jon Wertheim, and sportscaster Steve Weissman.

In the discussion Navratilova said of Kyrgios: “As a tennis player, you get thrust into the adult life very early on before you are really ready for it emotionally.

“The emotional growth comes in bits and pieces really and it is delayed really.

"I think give him a chance to catch up to that and as he said he feels grounded, put down some roots and figure out who you are, that can only be good.”

Wertheim added: “He does some things that are indisputably wrong, that are indefensible.

"He does other things that are indisputably right and admirable. His fondness for his home town is one of many. He has been a voice of reason.

“He does other things you can’t condone. It is what it is. People are complex and inconsistent.

If you’re looking for one pole you’re not going to find it with this guy.”

Navratilova then replied: “I don’t know if he is a good bad guy or a bad good guy but he’s both.

“You so want to like him and then he does something.”

Responding to the Tennis Channel's tweet, Kyrgios spat: "YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME."

Kyrgios proud of effort despite gutting loss

On Friday night, Kyrgios gave a glimpse of the electric atmosphere a fan-free Australian Open will sorely miss as he exited his home slam in a pulsating loss.

A heaving crowd revelled in Kyrgios' antics - the full gamut of good, bad and ugly - well into the final two hours before Victoria's five-day COVID-19 lockdown kicked in at midnight.

Despite the result, Kyrgios said he was proud of his effort on return to competitive tennis after taking 13 months out of the game because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I went toe to toe with one of the best players in the world and I left it all out there," Kyrgios said.

"I actually physically felt pretty good. I'm pretty sore now, but he's a hell of a player.

"He's so disciplined. He's so composed. His level doesn't drop.

"It is what it is. There was a couple of points in it and I'm not disappointed at all."

Thiem looked all but out of the contest when he was down two sets and two break points in his opening service game of the third set.

"I was already dealing with the loss," Thiem told Channel Nine.

"My first match against Nick here on his favourite court with an amazing crowd, I think there are easier things to do.

"That's for sure one of the tougher challenges we have in our sport as you never know what's coming.

"He's a huge player when he's on fire like today."

with AAP

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