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Kyrgios Tanks, Tells Fans: If You Don't Like It, Just Leave



The enigmatic Nick Kyrgios displayed the good, the bad and the ugly in his game in recent days.

Fresh off his third title of the season in Tokyo last weekend, an apathetic Kyrgios showed meager effort in a 6-3, 6-1 loss to 110th-ranked qualifier Mischa Zverev that lasted just 48 minutes in Shanghai today.

Watch: Troicki Topples Nadal in Shanghai

Annoyed by the Australian's utter lack of effort, Shanghai fans showered Kyrgios with boos.

Afterward, the 14th-ranked Aussie lashed back saying he doesn't "owe (fans) anything."

"I feel like if they knew what they were talking about they'd be on the tennis court and being successful, as well," Kyrgios said in comments published by AFP. "No, I can't really understand (the booing) at all. They don't know what I'm going through."

In the second set, Kyrgios began walking to his seat before Zverev's serve even landed.



Kyrgios feuded with a heckler and chair umpire Ali Nili, who urged the Aussie to play professionally after Kyrgios tapped a soft serve like a beginning into the box when he was broken for 4-1 in the opening set.

Kyrgios dropped all five break points he faced, did not move for some shots and blasted fans afterward saying "if you don't like it... just leave."

"I'm good at hitting a tennis ball at the net. Like, big deal," Kyrgios said afterward. "I don't owe them anything. It's like it's my choice.

"If you don't like it, I didn't ask you to come watch. Just leave. If you're so good at giving advice and so good at tennis, why aren't you as good as me? Why aren't you on the tour?"

Kyrgios, who was hit with an audible obscenity warning by Nili, argued with a fan as Zverev was ready to serve for the match.

"You wanna come here and play? Sit down and shut up and watch," Kyrgios barked at the fan.

Calming down a bit, Kyrgios did concede he "tapped out a little bit" and "took the easy way out." He later tweeted this brief apology hashtag "Still a work in progress."



Kyrgios is in 12th place in race to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Though Kyrgios trails Dominic Thiem by less than 800 points in the race for the eighth spot in the season-ending event, he told the media he "couldn't care less" if he qualifies for London.

Photo credit: Getty

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