NICK KYRGIOS cuddled up to girlfriend Costeen Hatzi on the Wimbledon practice courts before slamming Australian tennis greats for their “sick obsession with tearing me down”.
The Canberra star, 27, faces Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s SW19 final on Centre Court after the Serbian legend beat Cameron Norrie.
Nick Kyrgios was pictured cosying up with partner Costeen Hatzi on the practice courts
The 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, 57, accused Kyrgios of bringing tennis “to the lowest level” with his “gamesmanship, cheating, manipulation, abuse, aggressive behaviour to umpires, to linesmen”.
And Mark Philippoussis – the last Aussie to make the men’s singles final in 2003 – told Kyrgios to cut out the antics and swearing.
But Kyrgios said: “It’s pretty sad because I don’t get any support from any of the other Australian tennis players, the male side.
“Not the players, but like the past greats. It’s weird they just have like a sick obsession with tearing me down for some reason.
“I don’t know whether they don’t like me or they’re afraid. I don’t know what it is.
“But it sucks, because if it was roles reversed, if I saw Alex de Minaur in a final or Jordan Thompson or Thanasi Kokkinakis, I’d be pumped. I’d be stoked.
“I’d be having a pint watching going nuts. So I don’t know.
“For instance, when I saw Ash Barty in the final of the Australia Open this year, I was nothing but happy.
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“I would never say a bad word about an Australian making a final. Like that’s just me.”
Kyrgios, who gets backing from Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt, is the ninth Australian man in the Open Era to play in a Wimbledon final.
He received a walkover victory when Rafa Nadal pulled out from their semi-final with an abdominal injury.
At 40th in the world, Kyrgios is the lowest-ranked player to reach the SW19 final since Philippoussis was beaten by Roger Federer 19 years ago.
But the Aussie hothead looked chilled on Friday as he cosied up to partner Costeen on the Wimbledon practice courts.
Kyrgios looked loved up as he threw his arm around her on the grass just a day after she called his final appearance “insane”.
