MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 29, 2022

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

J. SINNER/N. Kyrgios

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. I'm sure you know what we are going to ask you about. You had spoken the other day about being more at peace, being more calm. What happened out there on the court during the singles match?

NICK KYRGIOS: I got frustrated. Can I not get frustrated? Do you get frustrated? Are you at peace in your life?

Next question.

Q. Bernardes was in the chair at Indian Wells. Did you go into the match thinking you could...

NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, look, I just don't think he controls the crowd well at all, in my personal opinion. People can have their opinions on it. I just don't think my point penalty was worth a point penalty.

Literally, all I said to my team was I thought that Matthew Reid, an ex-tennis player, could do just as good a job in the umpire's chair. If that's worth a point penalty at 5-3 in the first-set tiebreak in the fourth round of Miami at a Masters event for hundreds of thousands of dollars, then that's for you to decide. But I think it's ridiculous, in my opinion.

Q. Turning to the partnership with your friend when you're playing doubles, there seems to be a lot of love, a lot of chemistry. Is that bringing you some peace? Are you having fun on the court?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, for sure.

Q. Is that going to, do you think, translate to your singles?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I think for both of us, the fact that we know we have a bit of doubles during the week makes us happy. We have a bit of fun. It's a great way to end the day, honestly.

I think we were both a bit down after our singles. I know he was definitely a bit upset with his performance and I was obviously with mine, just a bit frustrated, and I got back into the locker room, calmed down, had some time to reflect, and then I just went back out on doubles. We put in I reckon I think our best performance all year on the doubles court.

Like playing-wise, I thought we played phenomenal. I thought the energy we brought was not easy to back up after the day we both had. You know, it's another great event for us doubles-wise. We're No. 1 on the race at the moment. We are just still kicking.

So to be part of an event this date, whether it's singles or doubles, is still a great achievement. I'm pretty proud of us both.

Q. Just on Carlos Bernardes, have you spoken to the ATP officiating side and asked if it's possible at least for a period not to have him on any of your matches?

NICK KYRGIOS: Look...

Q. He's regarded as a very good umpire.

NICK KYRGIOS: To whom?

Q. Obviously there are people, you have personality clashes and things like that, as well.

NICK KYRGIOS: But like who is he a good umpire, like to whom? Like who thinks he's a good umpire?

I don't know. But like I'm just saying like I don't think like when everyone in that crowd is booing an umpire, and he's becoming the center of attention, that's not his job. Because no one in that entire stadium bought a ticket to see him talk or play or do what he does.

I think you have Jannik Sinner who is one of our greatest stars who is going to do special things in this sport, and myself, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but the majority of the people are there to see me play, and you've got a guy that's talking -- I'm 40-Love up, and he's just talking. I'm like, What are you doing? Because the crowd actually hated him that much, they told him to just be quiet.

Then he's disrupting my service game. I can't even serve. He's like speaking to the crowd, and I'm just like, What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you actually doing right now?

Then he's getting booed by the crowd like you are just not doing a good job. I have never been a part of a match where an impure was hated that much today, like he made it about himself, like his feelings got hurt apparently from what I said, from what the crowd's feeling. You can't be like that if you're an umpire. I'm sorry.

By the way, it's all electronically done now, so you're actually doing nothing apart from calling the score, by the way, which any tennis fan could do right now, sit in the chair and just say, 15-Love, Game Kyrgios, Game Sinner.

Do you know what I mean? Like that's really all he has to do. He couldn't even do that. 1 out of 10 today.

Q. I just watched your doubles outside. It was fantastic. I just wondered, at 4-2 in the second, you hit an incredible crosscourt forehand, forehand down-the-line pass, and an incredible lob. I just wondered what it feels like to share those moments with your good friend there on the court.

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I mean, we just -- you know, we could have easily upset, one of us easily could have gone out there and not brought our best effort, rolled over. He's going home after this event, so I'm sure in the back of his mind he was thinking, I'm getting on the next flight home.

For me personally I was tired. You know, I've got one more week on the road before I go home. I'm really just proud of the energy we brought. Like obviously everyone's capable of hitting some good shots a lot of times, and I was just really happy with the way we just competed.

Like it's not easy. We beat a good team. They are No. 3 doubles team in the world. I'm really happy with that. I think he's happy. We go home today with a bit of a sweet taste in the mouth, obviously from what happened in singles, both of us just going home with a good doubles win. Makes the day a bit more rewarding.

Q. One last thing on the Sinner thing. Do you fear any repercussions from the ATP?

NICK KYRGIOS: For what?

Q. $25,000 at Indian Wells, and now this. You don't care?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, it's not that I don't care. I just don't think it's fair. Like I just hate to bring up the same things over and over again. But Shapovalov nailed a ball in someone's eyeball and got 5 grand. I can throw a racquet at Indian Wells, didn't even hit anyone, and I'm getting 25 grand.

Where is like the balance? Like how much do I bring for the sport? Like that's the problem with tennis. We just don't protect our stars at all. We love to outcast them and full of bad media. ATP never defends their players, never stands up for them.

I mean, I'm used to it. Been used to it my whole year. To be honest, it sucks. I know I could put in a great week, great performance. I played seven, six singles matches that the crowd has been pretty much packed for. Tennis is sparking, I think. And, you know, I have one incident where I throw a racquet -- and I know it can be dangerous. I know it can potentially be not good. Doesn't hit anyone. 25 grand.

I physically got a racquet, and I went back to the court that next day and personally saw that kid myself and apologized and gave him a racquet. That's something he's going to remember like his entire life. The ATP doesn't set like pick up any media things on that. Do you know what I mean?

I don't personally care, because I know I'm a good person, like I don't really care, but I don't understand what could you possibly fine me for today? That's the thing. He's going to get nothing. He's not even going to get a slap on the wrist for his dreadful umpiring performance today. Like he was horrendous.

But the ATP won't do anything about him. There will be no bad like articles on him. He will just show up in the next event, and everyone just forgets how bad that was today from him.

But again, I will have to deal with the negativity, I will have to deal with the bad comments, my girl friend has to deal with the bad comments, my team has to deal with the bad comments. And ATP doesn't give a fuck. So that's it.