Stefanos Tsitsipas Admits He Once Tried to Hurt Nick Kyrgios: “That’s How Mad I Was”

Nick Kyrgios holds a 4-1 head-to-head lead over Stefanos Tsitsipas, last meeting him at the 2022 Wimbledon.

Stefanos Tsitsipas Admits He Once Tried to Hurt Nick Kyrgios: “That’s How Mad I Was”

Nick Kyrgios, Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/Univers Tennis, Tiempo De Tennis)

In Short
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas admitted to aiming a shot at Nick Kyrgios' face during their 2022 Wimbledon match due to frustration.
  • Tsitsipas described the match as his lowest point on the tennis court and called Kyrgios a "bully."
  • Kyrgios and Tsitsipas have faced each other five times, with Tsitsipas winning only once.

At the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Stefanos Tsitsipas faced Nick Kyrgios in the third round. Kyrgios, known for his on-court antics, got under Tsitsipas’s nerves.

Tsitsipas admitted during his recent interview with The Times that he did not behave properly during the match. He even avoided a default after throwing a ball toward the crowd.

The Kyrgios match I’m definitely not proud of. It’s probably the lowest I’ve shown myself on the tennis court. I really lost it that day.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said

Later at the press conference, Tsitsipas called Kyrgios a “bully”. Kyrgios responded by saying Tsitsipas was not “liked” on the tour. The Bad Boy of tennis also added that Tsitsipas should have learned how to defeat him before commenting on anything against him. Tsitsipas was so frustrated in that match that he even aimed a shot at Kyrgios’ face to hurt him.

I remember going to the net when he served at the start of the match and being like, ‘F***, I hope he doesn’t hit me,’ because I won’t lie to you, I was so frustrated at one point with all the little things Nick was doing in the match [at Wimbledon] that when he drop-shotted me, I aimed [the return] at his face. That’s how mad I was. Guess what? He served three double faults in a row.

Stefanos Tsitsipas added

Kyrgios and Tsitsipas have faced each other five times, with the latter winning just one match (at the 2021 Laver Cup). They have yet to face each other since that Wimbledon clash.

After defeating the two-time Grand Slam finalist, Kyrgios went on to reach the final and took the first set off Novak Djokovic, but eventually suffered a four-set defeat. Since that match, Kyrgios has so far featured in just two Grand Slam singles events, the 2022 US Open and last year’s Australian Open.

In his home, Major Kyrgios lost in the opening round and skipped the singles event this year due to his injury woes. But he featured in doubles alongside compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis.

They failed to get past the first round. Kyrgios also played in mixed doubles alongside fellow one-time Grand Slam finalist Leylah Fernandez and reached the second round. Kyrgios, who has yet to appear in another tour-level tournament since that mixed doubles match, is planning to return to the grass swing and feature at Wimbledon, which is set to start on June 29.

Stefanos Tsitsipas to play Francisco Cerundolo at the Monte Carlo Masters

The clay season is underway, and top players are gearing up for the Monte Carlo Masters, the third Masters 1000 of the season. The tournament kicked off on April 5.

Stefanos Tsitsipas 1
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/ESPN)

Stefanos Tsitsipas will enter the tournament as the three-time champion, having won the title in 2021, 2022, and 2024. These are the only Masters 1000 tournaments he has won so far.

In last year’s Masters 1000 events, the only time Tsitsipas reached a quarterfinal was in Monte Carlo. This season, he will be locking horns with Francisco Cerundolo in the first round. The upcoming match will be their third clash in their career. Tsitsipas holds a 2-0 head-to-head lead over the Argentinian player.

Tsitsipas was last seen in action at the Miami Open, where Arthur Fils dismantled him in the third round. So far this season, he has featured in just one quarterfinal at the Qatar Open, losing to Andrey Rublev.

The last time Tsitsipas won a title was at the 2025 Dubai Open against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Tsitsipas has been dealing with a back problem, which has been preventing him from giving his best, and as a result, the former World No.3 now stands at 49th in the rankings.

Also read: Jannik Sinner Downplays ‘Secondary’ World No.1 Battle With Carlos Alcaraz at Monte Carlo