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Nick Kyrgios' four-word parting shot after altercation with rivals

Nick Kyrgios, pictured here taking a brutal parting shot at Australian Open rivals.
Nick Kyrgios has taken a brutal parting shot at Australian Open rivals. Image: Australian Open/Channel Nine

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have provided fresh details after a post-match altercation with a rival's trainer at the Australian Open.

Kyrgios revealed on Saturday that the coach and trainer of Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic threatened to fight him after he and Kokkinakis dumped the top seeds out of the doubles.

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The Australian duo were typically flamboyant and energetic throughout the match, hyping up the crowd and celebrating with vigour.

But according to Kyrgios, the fiery nature of the clash spilled over into the players' gym.

Speaking to reporters after their third-round victory over Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar on Sunday, Kokkinakis shed new light on the situation.

“Mate, it was pretty funny, I’m not going to lie,” Kokkinakis said.

“Me and Nick, trying to be professionals, so we went in the gym after our doubles match, maybe one of the first times ever.

“I’m going to be honest, it was Pavic’s fitness trainer and he came up and he smashed a foam roller against a pole as hard as he can and I thought he was kind of joking, I wasn’t sure if he was about to berate his players.

“He came up to Nick and said we’re being disrespectful and we ... Nick hit the opponent with a ball, but that’s normal, these doubles players got unbelievable hands so you have to go at them.

“And they said we were showboating, but I’m sure if we played away in Croatia it would have been the same thing.

“So it was just our energy and I think at the end of the day they were a bit salty they lost, because they’ve won their fair share of tournaments, so I don’t know, I thought they would handle losing a little better than that."

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, pictured here shaking hands with Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis shake hands with Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic after their doubles clash at the Australian Open. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) (Darrian Traynor via Getty Images)

Nick Kyrgios' four-word send-off for Croatian pair

In typical fashion, Kyrgios then delivered a four-word send-off for Pavic and Mektic.

"Enjoy your flight home," he quipped.

Vision on Channel Nine of the players' locker room after the alleged stoush showed an animated Kyrgios shaking his head and talking to his team.

After the match, doubles World No.1 Pavic suggested the boisterous crowd should "show some respect", echoing singles World No.2 Daniil Medvedev, who had expressed his frustration with noisy local fans after he beat Kyrgios on Thursday night.

"It's loud. They are pretty loud. Obviously they cheer for Aussies," the Croatian said.

"It wouldn't hurt them to show some respect to all opponents, to other players.

"We saw yesterday also with Medvedev how it was.

"So, yeah, I mean, that's how they are here. We're used to that. But like I said, yeah, it wouldn't hurt them to show some respect."

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are now eyeing doubles glory after reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory over 15th seeds Behar and Escobar.

"This is actually our best run in a grand slam ever. So I think we've come with age and matured a little bit, I know I have definitely," Kyrgios said.

"So I'm just excited, I'm going to do everything I can tonight, get a good rest, recover, train. Listen to me.

"I'll be ready to go. I definitely think we've got a good shot at winning this."

with AAP

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