Nick Kyrgios pulls out of Olympic team, slams 'unjust treatment'

[britbox]

First instinct might be to think "It's the same ole Nick Kyrgios" but in this case I think the Australian Olympic Committee have a lot to answer for by needlessly stirring up a wasps nest.

Kitty Chiller (AOC) publically wondered a few weeks ago on his suitability for the Olympic team and said he was being "watched". Not helpful... particularly with a volatile athlete like Nick who has trouble biting his tongue. His comments in response were pretty tame... and then Chiller ramped it up... The whole thing snowballed and Kyrgios withdraws from the games. Way to go Kitty.

Good historical take on the snowball of words here:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/olympic...t/news-story/70cb326d160daa360af65fcaa0136033

 

[isabelle]

no Tomic, no Nick poor Australia !!!

 

[Moxie]

First instinct might be to think "It's the same ole Nick Kyrgios" but in this case I think the Australian Olympic Committee have a lot to answer for by needlessly stirring up a wasps nest.

Kitty Chiller (AOC) publically wondered a few weeks ago on his suitability for the Olympic team and said he was being "watched". Not helpful... particularly with a volatile athlete like Nick who has trouble biting his tongue. His comments in response were pretty tame... and then Chiller ramped it up... The whole thing snowballed and Kyrgios withdraws from the games. Way to go Kitty.

Good historical take on the snowball of words here:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/olympic...t/news-story/70cb326d160daa360af65fcaa0136033

I read that, but it seems to lack some background, if one is not in Australia. I even tried digging a bit further, but it seems it must have a long history, this back and forth, including twitter comments. Perhaps you could summarize, BB. Or is it just generally that This Chiller woman was calling him out publicly before she needed to?

Yes, Nick is an emotional guy, and he's seeming a bit thin-skinned, at the moment. Probably didn't need the extra-scrutiny from the Oz Olympic Committee. He's brought attention on himself, but he is young. And talented. Maybe those in authority could have handled the situation with more diplomacy? I'd be interested in a little more of your take.

 

[britbox]

Moxie, this might give you the additional detail you're looking for:

http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis...d/news-story/d83aca54fc7a22e7dfce833e9f9a74a4

In a nutshell, Kitty told Tomic and Kyrgios that they were on watch... to spark off the exchanges... Tomic withdrew from the Olympics... Kyrgios told her to watch his tweener lob.... she then upped the ante and the whole thing snowballed.

Nick can be foolish with his mouth and probably could have bit his lip in this episode but Kitty was being pretty stupid and throwing fuel onto the fire.

 

[Moxie]

There may be still something left out, and maybe Kitty is guilty of being too conservative and old-school, but it's hard not to see that Nick hasn't done himself any favors, once again, from what you've presented.

 

[britbox]

The sad part is neither have done themselves any favours. Kitty has seen the exit of Australia's two best players and neither of them will experience the Olympics... which they may come to regret later as we don't know what the landscape will be in 4 years time.

 

[britbox]

Further Details:

 

[Moxie]

Now she really is being childish and not very prudent. She's presumably the grown-up in the situation, and could surely have handled it a lot better. It is a shame for them, and stupid of her not to try to "manage" her tennis stars rather than alienate them.

 

[EdbergsGhost]

It seems the powers that be in Aussie tennis, want their players to be like Laver, Rosewall, and Emerson, but forget those guys were breaking the rules in their day too.

Rather than clamping down on these young men and trying to dictate, there has to be a way to work with them. In the mean time, the lads do need to grow up and somehow break through the sense of entitlement that's endemic to their generation.

 

[Moxie]

I'd be interested to hear from someone in Oz, like @britbox (don't know where you are, EG,) but there seems to be a certain amount of squabbling that goes on between the players and the Australian Tennis Federation (Tomic and his dad a few years back,) and now the Australian Olympic Committee and players. Maybe that's not even a correct impression. Just curious.

Agreed about "entitlement," EG. They got a ways to go to prove all of the promise and hype.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

seeing how prickly nick is I agree that the aussie woman head of tennis maybe didn't take the ideal approach with her public comments..

nick has an outside chance of a singles medal too. oh well..another day another dust up.

 

[britbox]

seeing how prickly nick is I agree that the aussie woman head of tennis maybe didn't take the ideal approach with her public comments..

nick has an outside chance of a singles medal too. oh well..another day another dust up.

Looks like he'll have to wait another four years at the very least.

 

[Moxie]

Looks like he'll have to wait another four years at the very least.

Is there no chance of raking it back with Kyrgios and Tomic? Who else have they got? What is the status of Kokkinakis these days, btw?

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

^^the kokk is playing doubles on grass somewhere, either this week or next.

 

[Ricardo]

seeing how prickly nick is I agree that the aussie woman head of tennis maybe didn't take the ideal approach with her public comments..

nick has an outside chance of a singles medal too. oh well..another day another dust up.

well you hand the Aussie chick a tennis role where she has no previous experience, then don't expect it to go well. should've given it to Hewitt or Rafter, someone who the youngsters would respect.

 

[britbox]

She's not just tennis but Head of Mission (chef de mission diplomatique) so she's the chief chirpa on the selection body. Strange how she's bagged Kyrgios and Tomic but I don't hear her calling out other athletes indescretions.

 

[Ricardo]

i feel it has something to do with the fame and fortunate these guys received as tennis players, must make other athletes pale in comparison..... and the fact that they are spoilt brats doesn't help, thus became singled out as she picked on them.

 

[Federberg]

Since when have Australian sports people been required to be sweetness and light? It's absurd! This woman is trying to impose some pc nonsense on Australian sports, I don't see it ending well for her

 

[britbox]

Since when have Australian sports people been required to be sweetness and light? It's absurd! This woman is trying to impose some pc nonsense on Australian sports, I don't see it ending well for her

She might hang on until Rio, but very doubtful she'll be in that role afterward.

 

[britbox]

Wimbledon 2016: Nick Kyrgios needs to see a psychologist, says Woodforde
From www.bbc.co.uk - Today, 7:47 PM


Former Wimbledon doubles champion Mark Woodforde says Nick Kyrgios needs to see a psychologist and rules out working with him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/36719265