Hewitt rips Kyrgios over dodging of 'normal way'

1 year ago 109

Lleyton Hewitt, Australia's United Cup captain, has blasted Nick Kyrgios implicit the polarising star's 11th-hour withdrawal from the tournament.

Hewitt spoke to reporters aft Alex de Minaur opened Australia's run with a 6-3, 6-3 nonaccomplishment to Great Britain's Cameron Norrie successful Sydney connected Thursday nighttime — a lucifer Kyrgios was scheduled to play until helium pulled retired owed to an ankle injury.

Hewitt was stranded overseas owed to a formation hold erstwhile Kyrgios dropped the bombshell, but the Australian tennis large pounced erstwhile fixed a accidental to rip the satellite No.22.

"I was successful the aforesaid vessel arsenic each the different players yesterday," Hewitt said.

"I didn't cognize immoderate more.

"It was beauteous pugnacious for everyone.

"It was much astir apt the deficiency of connection and these guys not knowing.

"I'm truthful arrogant of this bloke (de Minaur) and the effort and however helium makes playing for his state a priority. It's thing I'm precise arrogant of him (about).

"I deliberation for the full squad it was beauteous pugnacious not knowing what was going connected the past 24 hours."

Watch Team Australia instrumentality connected the satellite successful the United Cup, unrecorded and exclusive on 9Now and Stan Sport.

Australia had a dismal opening nighttime astatine the United Cup, with Zoe Hives losing 6-4, 6-3 to Katie Swan aft de Minaur's decision to Norrie.

Ajla Tomljanović and Jason Kubler volition effort to resistance the squad backmost connected Friday night, earlier Sam Stosur's expected quality successful the mixed doubles.

"Probably conscionable responding," Hewitt said erstwhile asked however connection could beryllium improved with Kyrgios.

"That's the mean mode of doing it."

Hewitt's frustration with Kyrgios' perceived deficiency of involvement successful Team Australia was easy depictable arsenic helium addressed the media.

"If it was conscionable worrying Nick, that's 1 thing," Hewitt said.

"When it revolves astir the squad and different radical and their mentation to beryllium playing the champion they perchance tin starring into the Australian Open, that's astir apt the hardest thing."

Tennis Australia main defends Nick Kyrgios withdrawal

Kyrgios had opened up connected his wounded conflict successful an interrogation with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age earlier connected Thursday night.

"Anyone who plays professionally knows, for sure," Kyrgios said erstwhile asked if radical understood what it took to hole for a expansive slam.

"Anyone extracurricular of that wouldn't person a large understanding.

"Going heavy oregon not, winning a lucifer astatine a expansive slam level is not an casual task.

"People underestimate the unit and the nerves with being a portion of 1 of the biggest tournaments of the year.

"Throw successful an wounded and knowing you didn't springiness yourself the champion accidental lone adds to the upland of unit you face.

"So feeling bully physically is important."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!