Andy Roddick went off on Nick Kyrgios on the latest episode of his podcast, saying that the Australian “lives for likes” and ripping his comments about Cruz Hewitt as “ridiculous.”
Over the weekend, the 16-year-old – who is the son of one of Australia’s best tennis players ever – got a chance to hit with Jannik Sinner at Melbourne Park and he later posted a post-practice selfie on Instagram.
Kyrgios, who has been pretty much criticizing the ATP world No. 1 daily since August for his failed doping test, was disappointed to see the promising Australian sharing the court with the two-time Grand Slam champion.
Nick Kyrgios comments© Instagram
Fans but also some members of the tennis community instantly started scrutinizing the 29-year-old, with the majority arguing that it was unacceptable for him to bring 16-year-old Hewitt into his issue with Sinner’s failed doping test.
“At this point he is a tennis influencer. He lives for likes, he lives in the comments section,” the 2003 US Open champion said on the Served with Andy Roddick.
Roddick on Kyrgios’ comments to Hewitt: It’s ridiculous
“So Cruz Hewitt is 16 years old, son of Lleyton, the toughest competitor that I have ever played in my life, gets to hit with a guy who is number one in the world at the Australian Open. That is a big deal,” the American tennis legend added.
“Imagine as an almost 30-year-old man, going into the comments of a 16-year-old who is (hitting with) the best player in the world. If you think (Jannik) is guilty or not guilty, it’s still a moment when you get to do that.
“That’s a big moment and to simply post a picture and then have this guy go into the comments and make it all about himself, (commenting) ‘I thought we were bros.’
“The defense was all made that it was a joke. The lack of awareness you have with bringing trolls and all of the worst of tennis fandom into a 16-year-old’s comments is ridiculous. It’s ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, the 16-year-old Australian didn’t respond to Kyrgios – at least not publicly.
When it comes to Sinner, for months he has been refusing to respond to a single thing that the Australian says about him.
Only during the US Open when he was asked about the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up’s comments, the world No. 1 simply stated that everyone was entitled to their own opinion and that he would leave it at that.
Tennis World USA