Battling injury and emotions, Nick Kyrgios has plunged out of the French Open at the hands of nemesis Richard Gasquet in a sobering reminder of the unforgiving nature of grand slam tennis.
Requiring treatment on his upper left arm and shoulder in the first set, Kyrgios was ruthlessly dispatched by Gasquet 6-2 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 in front of a partisan crowd.
“I got absolutely destroyed. Wasn’t really fun,” Kyrgios said.
“I struggled today pretty much in every aspect. I had chances in the second and I just didn’t play big. I just played really bad today. Really bad.
“Leaves a bit of bad taste in my mouth. I thought I had a good clay court season leading up, and it was just a bad performance today.”
Kyrgios confirmed the injury impacted his backhand and ball toss.
Frustrated by his injury and Gasquet’s near flawless form, Kyrgios raged at his supporters to “get out of my box, I’m sick of it. Get out of my box.”
His brother Christos and members of his fitness staff were among the Kyrgios backers sitting courtside.
Asked about the comments post-match, he said: “Don’t want to talk about it.”
Kyrgios was jeered and whistled at after swatting his courtside bench with his racquet.
Watched by Davis Cup coach Lleyton Hewitt, Kyrgios was clearly below his best from the outset, dropping his opening service game.
Trailing 1-4, he said to umpire Eva Asderaki: “Can I call a physio at the next change of ends please?”
Kyrgios told medical staff the pain in his arm was “getting dramatically worse.”
“It’s affecting my ball toss,” he said.
“This morning when I was warming up I could feel it on my backhand, now it’s on my ball toss.”
After receiving a three-minute medical time-out, Kyrgios resumed at 2-5 but again dropped serve.
Sitting with his face buried in a towel at the changeovers, Kyrgios cut a miserable figure.
Kyrgios hit eight aces and 35 winners but made 44 unforced errors.
Gasquet also delivered eight aces and 29 winners but had only 18 unforced errors.
Gasquet has now won five of seven encounters with the Australian.
Kyrgios’s downfall came as Sam Stosur advanced to the fourth round - and then distanced herself from debate over Kyrgios’s Olympic suitability.
“I think if he wants to be there and he maybe behaves himself from now on, it’s a good chance for him to be there,” Stosur said.
“But like I said, there is a lot of criteria that goes into being a part of the Australian team.
“That’s for them (officials) to decide, and, yeah, I’m not too worried about it. If he wants to be there, I’m sure he could take steps to be there.”
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