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'Show some respect': Nick Kyrgios in ugly spat with French Open star

Nick Kyrgios and Karen Khachanov, pictured here in action on the tennis court.
Things got personal between Nick Kyrgios and Karen Khachanov. Image: Getty

Karen Khachanov has hit out at Nick Kyrgios on Twitter after the Aussie slammed Mats Wilander’s disparaging remarks about Andy Murray.

Earlier this week, Wilander suggested it was time for Murray to retire after he was thrashed in the first round of the French Open by Stan Wawrinka.

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The former World No.1 questioned whether Murray deserved a wildcard to play at Roland Garros, comments which Kyrgios took offence to.

“Just read what Wilander said about @andy_murray .... shut up Mats, no one cares,” tweeted Kyrgios.

“Muzz, just know that how ever long you stay, we all appreciate and enjoy your tennis and banter. Also I've never watched a point of Mats Wilander.”

But that didn’t sit well with Khachanov, who called on Kyrgios to show some respect to the seven-time grand slam champ.

“Nick, come on mate,” the Russian replied to Kyrgios on Twitter.

“It's too much... show some respect.”

To which Kyrgios hit back: “Nah I'm good dude. Muzz and I respect each other, and if someone starts talking about one of mine then I'll come at them.

“I’m supposed to respect Mats? For what? Hitting a ball over the net? I don't give my respect for that.

“Bro it's your call,” Khachanov replied. “I really think you are a good lad and I don’t have any problem with you.

“But once you are sitting at home and writing different comments about players that makes me think who has the real problem.”

Things then got heated.

“So you think what the players did during this pandemic was smart?” Kyrgios asked.

“I'd love to have an intellectual conversation with you but I'm not sure it would go further than how hard you could hit a ball. I've simply been holding people accountable.”

Khachanov responded: “Next time before talking about my intellect read at least a few books, instead or playing video games whole day long.”

Mats Wilander’s controversial comments

Murray slumped to his joint-worst defeat at a grand slam on Sunday with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 loss at the hands of Wawrinka.

“I worry about Andy Murray. I would love to hear him say why he is out there, giving us a false sense of hope that he going to come back one day,” Wilander said on Eurosport.

“I keep getting a little bit disappointed, is it his right to be out there doing that? Why? I did it and I shouldn't have, it was the biggest mistake I did in my career.

“I think Andy Murray needs to stop thinking of himself and start thinking about who he was. Does he have a right to be out there taking wildcards from the young players?”

Mats Wilander, pictured here at the 2017 French Open.
Mats Wilander looks on during the 2017 French Open. (Photo by CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

Murray, a three-time grand slam title champion and runner-up at the French Open in 2016, has undergone two hip surgeries in order to cure an injury which pushed him to the brink of retirement.

After his loss to Wawrinka - his first opening round defeat in Paris since his 2006 debut - Murray insisted he intends to keep playing even though his ranking is now 111.

Murray also found support from former coach Danny Vallverdu who coached him from 2010-2014.

“He's entitled to his opinion. Like I'm entitled to mine to think that's absolutely PATHETIC from Mats...,” tweeted Vallverdu, now the coach of Wawrinka.

with AFP

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