Nick Kyrgios revealed his US Open frustration was caused by knowing he missed out on a big prize money reward and also his first Grand Slam title. Kyrgios, 27, made his first US Open quarterfinal this past September. After knocking out defending US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the round-of-16, Kyrgios suffered a surprise five-set defeat to Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinal.
While Khachanov was celebrating his win, a frustrated Kyrgios was smashing his rackets. Kyrgios, who ended runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, came to the US Open determined to leave with his first Grand Slam singles title.
Kyrgios on his US Open outburst
“When people see that clip of me at the US Open breaking tennis rackets. People see that as a negative type of thing. Oh, he doesn’t care, he’s such a brat’ but it’s like how much I cared.
People don’t understand like if I won that match that’s another 400 grand. Would someone on the street like, here’s 400 grand – heads or tails – if you got that wrong, would you not be pissed off? I just lost in four hours at 2am and for that amount of money.
For the achievement of pushing to potentially win a Grand Slam, to bring it home to Australia, because I know how much this nation wants a Grand Slam. And I’ve been the closest male tennis player for the last decade to get close to one and all I get is negativity.
And I’m just like, I’m frustrated because I didn’t win one for you idiots. And I had to let it out,” Kyrgios said on the June Podcast. After his US Open exit, Kyrgios didn’t hide his disappointment as he admitted that winning his first Grand Slam was his big goal in New York. Now, Kyrgios will be hoping to win his first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January.
