New York, Sep 2 (IANS) Controversial Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios says he has learned to keep his mouth shut at times after the controversy surrounding his recent on-court comments.
A couple of weeks ago, Kyrgios had jibed at Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka during a match in Montreal saying: “(Thanasi) Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that, mate.”
The 20-year-old was given a suspended 28-day ban and fined $25,000 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), to be imposed should he transgress again.
“I’d like to think that I’m going to learn from it. I think I have. I think I’m on the right path. I don’t think any of us in this room right now were perfect at 20,” Kyrgios was quoted as saying by BBC on Tuesday.
When asked to be specific about what he had learned, Kyrgios said: “Keep your mouth shut at times.”
Kyrgios lost 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 1-6 to Andy Murray at the US Open on Tuesday, his third match since playing Wawrinka.
The World No.37 was well received by the crowd at Flushing Meadows but understood “100 percent” why some spectators had jeered him at his previous matches.
“There are still people in the crowd that are unhappy with what happened. And that’s only normal,” the Aussie said.
Kyrgios said he had looked up to Murray as a role model.
“I’ve had a really good relationship with Andy for a long time now. Whenever I’ve needed something, I’ve come to him. I’ve sort of looked at a guy like him that’s a really good role model for everyone,” Kyrgios concluded.
