"Literally told the fan to come on over the fence": Nick Kyrgios hits back at criticism over playful Miami training session with young fan

Nick Kyrgios responded to a social media post showing him training while playing with a kid at the Miami Open. The Australian is back on court searching for his first win since his return after suffering an injury at Indian Wells.

The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up generated high expectations with his comeback, although his body hasn’t cooperated after undergoing a couple of surgeries during his two-year absence. His right wrist seems to be his biggest issue, forcing him to retire while facing Botic Van de Zandschulp in the first round (6-7, 0-3, ret.).

Read also

"Miami dubs anyone?": Nick Kyrgios extends open invitation to team up for doubles event at Miami Open

The former world No. 13 trained in Miami this week while waiting for his debut on Wednesday against Mackenzie McDonald, with whom he has faced off twice before. Back at the 2021 DC Open, the American claimed victory on hard court, while Kyrgios came out on top on the clay courts of the 2022 Houston Open.

Kyrgios has often been criticised for supposedly not taking his training seriously. This time, he invited a young fan to hit a few balls with him, where the kid pulled off a couple of tricky shots. Kyrgios, however, didn’t seem to lower his intensity, serving at high speeds and trading tricky shots with the young tennis enthusiast.

Read also

"Rafa on grass was ridiculous": Nick Kyrgios backs Nadal’s grass court claim

The "We Are Tennis" X account shared a video of Kyrgios rallying with the kid, captioning it: “Nick Kyrgios has no mercy for kids! 😂❤️” — a message that didn’t sit well with the 29-year-old Aussie talent.

“Insane caption. Literally told the fan to come on over the fence – experience playing with a pro and gave him a racket 😅 – can’t win at this point," he wrote.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe