NICK KYRGIOS’ ex-girlfriend has denied falling out with the controversial tennis star and calling him a “bad person” on social media – instead praising him as a “nice” guy.
Russian world No 95 Anna Kalinskaya, 21 posted anguished messages on Instagram – before deleting them and claiming fans had misunderstood her meaning.
Kyrgios‘ public image has changed this year, as the so-called “bad boy” revealed battles with depression and abuse, while also helping out after the devastating Australian bush-fires and coronavirus pandemic.
And now Kalinskaya has done an about-turn too over her public verdict on the 25-year-old Aussie.
Last week, following several months of dating, she reportedly said: “We broke up. We aren’t friends.”
And she posted: “You’re not a bad boy, you’re simply a bad person.”
But Kalinskaya then told Confidential: “He did nothing. He is a good person and I didn’t mean to comment about him.
“I don’t know why people think it’s about him. He is a great player and nice person.”
The couple supported each other at tournaments during their romance.
And as recently as March she posted a picture of them looking happy and relaxed at a Lakers game. although she later deleted the photo.
Kyrgios has stayed in Canberra amid the lockdown, while Kalinskaya remained in Miami.
The Oz ace, now world No40 after fading from the top ten, previously dated Croatian-Australian tennis ace Ajla Tomljanović for two years.
But on the court, after stunning Rafa Nadal to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2014, he notched up a long list of offences.
These include rowing with officials, chucking chairs, arguing with opponents and simulating a sex act live on TV at Queen’s.
He was given a 16-week suspended ban last September and told to see a mental health professional, following an outburst at the Cincinnati Masters.
Recently, though, Kyrgios put up a photo of himself alongside the words: “This version of me wasn’t built overnight. This is experience. This is pain. This is insecurities. This is abuse. This is depression.
“I had to go through things to get to the level I’m at now.”
He was also a major fundraiser after wildfires in his home country devastated large swathes of land, as well as joining in charity efforts following the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
