Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas lost his cool during a game with Greek Australian Nick Kyrgios at the ATP Cup where he was defeated 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5).
After dropping the first set, Tsitsipas swiped his racquet and hit his father, Apostolos, in the process, prompting his mother to leave the courtside in order to give her son a public telling off. Tsitsipas also received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct. Asked if there would be more punishment at home, Mr Tsitsipas told reporters, “Maybe, yeah, maybe I’ll stay in my room for three days grounded by my father.”
“It happened accidentally,” he said.
In the second set, the World Number 6 player received a points penalty for hitting the ball away in frustration after losing a point.
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Kyrgios was reluctant to judge Tsitsipas, saying “I didn’t see it. I don’t think he meant it as well. I don’t think you guys should be giving too much attention or looking too far into it, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve done some stupid things as well in the heat of the moment. It was obviously an accident.”