Piers Morgan slams 'pathetic' Cilic for mid-match breakdown
Shock jock Piers Morgan has copped a raft of criticism for labelling Marin Cilic pathetic after he burst into tears during the Wimbledon final.
In scenes rarely seen on tennis's most famous centre court, Cilic broke down and buried his head in his towel after falling behind a set and 3-0 against Roger Federer.
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The Croat called for a trainer and doctor and even had the tournament supervisor on hand, but battled on to finish the match.
The crestfallen Croat revealed his dramatic Wimbledon tears were borne from despair not pain after suffering a shattering finals loss to the Swiss ace.
During the heartbreaking scenes, British media personality Morgan tweeted "Get a grip, Cilic. You don't sob like a baby because you're losing. That's pathetic."
Get a grip, Cilic.
You don't sob like a baby because you're losing. That's pathetic. #WimbledonFinals pic.twitter.com/xF8wB5a9mv— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 16, 2017
Morgan was immediately inundated with abuse for the shocking comment.
he went on to bash Cilic 10 more times and then infer that his injury wasn't worth complaining about so he's just some out of shape troll
— Nick Delpopolo (@NickforGold) July 16, 2017
Your tweet is inexcusable, plain and simple.
— Andrew Krasny (@AndrewKrasny) July 16, 2017
But Morgan didn't back down, tweeting again and rejecting claims Cilic may have been suffering from a mental health issue.
Cilic may have pulled the wool over your gnarled old ears, but not mine. He got destroyed & blubbed like a baby. Pitiful. https://t.co/7bJ9VRMkgL
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 16, 2017
And let's say he wasn't injured. This is why people don't reveal mental health issues. Because of idiots like this. https://t.co/rMWrEixaV8
— DavidLaw (@DavidLawTennis) July 16, 2017
Ah, of course..
Mental illness, the new catch-all excuse for losing. https://t.co/Kl3RXYFHL1— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 16, 2017
Cilic later conceded it was the anguish of not being at his physical best, rather than "blisters", that led to his spectacular meltdown.
"It was just a feeling that I knew that I cannot give my best on the court, that I cannot give my best game and my best tennis, especially at this stage of my career, at such a big match," he said.
"It was very, very difficult to deal with it. That was the only thing.
"But, otherwise, it didn't hurt so much that it was putting me in tears. It was just that feeling that I wasn't able to give the best."
Cilic was attempting to become the first Croatian to win the title - and second ever - since his one-time coach Gordan Ivanisevic denied Pat Rafter in a classic five-set decider in 2001.
"It was definitely one of the unfortunate days for me to happen. I got a really bad blister," the sixth seed said.
"Even I felt it in the match with (Sam) Querrey in the semis. Fluid just came down under my callous in the foot.
"I want to thank the physios here, Alejandro and Graham and Dr Phil. They helped.
"The last 30 hours, they were just constantly almost with me. They did as much as they could, but unfortunately I still felt the pain.
"Every time I had to do a reaction fast, fast change of movement, I was unable to do that."
withAAP