World number 36, Nick Kyrgios, was slammed as a ‘spoilt little Greek brat’ on national television show Today, that aired this morning on Channel 9, following his court-outburst during the Italian Open.
The 24-year-old was playing against Norway’s Casper Ruud, who was leading 6-3 6-7 2-1 and was disqualified and fined more than $30,000 for throwing his racket to the floor before kicking a water bottle and flinging a chair towards the centre of the court.
“He should be banned for a couple of years at least. The guy is a clown, he has no ability to handle pressure. He should have been slapped as a child. He is a spoilt little Greek brat, he is probably being treated like a prince and to have the heart to give character assassinations and appraisals of other key tennis player when this bloke hasn’t got a bone of character in his body (…). He is a little creep and I am sad to say that he is Australian,” said Prue Macsween.
Today’s presented Ben Fordham tried to save the day on air saying that his behaviour has nothing to do with being Greek.
“We all love Greeks,” said Fordham to which Macsween responded.
“I also love Greeks, but I have to say Greeks do spoil their kids a bit,” Macsween said making things even more awkward for the other three presenters who continued to defend the racist attack towards Kyrgios, who made again headlines for all the wrong reasons.
To which the other three presenters responded: “The only person responsible here is Nick Kyrgios and Nick, your behaviour is absolutely woeful, and Australia has just had enough of the guy,” said the other presenters.
READ MORE: Nick Kyrgios throws chair and walks off court during Rome Open
Unsurprisingly, the racial blurb has caused an uproar on social media.
“His behaviour is appalling but if he won a slam or two, he’ be heralded by these same people that are slamming him, as a future great,” wrote one user.
“Why not a Greek Australian, I wonder,” wrote another.
“If I had my way, he would never play again, but this has nothing to do with Greeks. This is how he chooses to behave. Leave the rest of the Greeks out of it,” wrote a Greek Australian user.
“He is a brat. Not a Greek or an Australian brat. Just a brat. Remove his sponsorships until he learns what sportsmanship actually means,” wrote another.
Watch the video here: