Commentator causes outrage with shocking Nick Kyrgios attack
Prue MacSween has been forced to apologise after labelling Nick Kyrgios a “spoiled little Greek brat.”
The media commentator appeared on the Today Show on Friday morning, hours after Kyrgios was defaulted at the Italian Open after an extraordinary meltdown.
Kyrgios was hit with a $33,000 fine and docked all ATP points he’d earned at the tournament, but MacSween didn’t think that was satisfactory.
She went on a rant about why Kyrgios should banned from tennis, calling him a “clown” with “no ability to handle pressure”.
“He should have been slapped as a child. He is a spoiled little Greek brat who is probably being treated like a Prince,” she said.
“He is a little creep, and I’m sad to say he is Australian.”
CRAZY: The connection between McEnroe and Kyrgios meltdowns 30 years apart
After host Ben Fordham pulled MacSween up, saying his antics on the court couldn’t be linked to his Greek heritage, MacSween said she loved Greeks.
“But I’m just saying the Greeks do spoil their kids a bit,” she said.
“And my apologies to the Greeks. I love souvlaki and I like the Greeks.”
A number of viewers took offence to MacSween’s comments, labelling them racist.
Prue MacSween just called Nick Kyrgios "a spoiled little Greek brat" on @TheTodayShow. Thank you @BenFordham for calling her out. The fact this (repeatedly racist and offensive) woman still has a platform on mainstream TV in Australia says it all.
— Simone Amelia Jordan (@SimoneAJordan) May 17, 2019
@TheTodayShow the next time @macsween_prue is on I guarantee people everywhere including our wonderful Greek friends will change channels. She is out of control and just wants to be heard. Loud and obnoxious. #Television #agressive #obnoxious #today
— Karma Active (@KarmaAthletic) May 17, 2019
@macsween_prue says Kyrgios should have been slapped as a child?? My god you are a nutcase. @TheTodayShow do you welcome such a comment? #Kyrgios #Tennis
— Karma Active (@KarmaAthletic) May 17, 2019
It’s not the first time Kyrgios’s paternal Greek heritage has been used against him.
In 2015, Australian swimming great Dawn Fraser told Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, whose family is Croatian, ‘to go back to where their parents came from’.
Kyrgios called Fraser a ‘blatant racist’ and the tennis star’s mother Nill also called it a ‘nasty racist attack’, ‘out of line’ and ‘un-Australian behaviour’.
Crazy scenes
Kyrgios is facing suspension and a heavy fine following the tantrum that led to his default.
Just hours after an explosive interview with the No Challenges Remaining podcast, where he ripped into Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Fernando Verdasco, Australian Kyrgios stormed out of his second-round clash with Caspar Rudd after hurling a chair onto the court.
The Norwegian qualifier was leading 6-3 6-7 (7-5) 2-1 at the time and Kyrgios, frustrated at losing a point on serve, received a warning for ball abuse.
He then took exception to some movement in the stands during a rally and made his feelings known to the crowd and was docked a point for unsportsmanlike conduct and then penalised the game for the same offence.
Furious at the decision, Kyrgios booted a water bottle and then stunned spectators by picking up a fold-up wooden chair and hurling it across the court.
“I’m f***ing done,” he could be heard saying.
The tournament referee then came out onto court and defaulted the Aussie, who picked up his bag and stormed off, although he did shake hands with Ruud and the chair umpire.
“Very eventful day to say the least,” Kyrgios wrote on Instagram later.
“Emotions got the better of me and I just wanted to say that the atmosphere was crazy out there today, just super unfortunate that it had to end in a default. Sorry Roma, see you again, maybe.”
The match was subsequently awarded to the world No.76, who’ll now face Juan Martin del Potro for a place in the quarter-finals.
with AAP
