Nick Kyrgios Edges Closer To Ban After Code Violation Threepeat

“I showed emotion, but at the same time I played great. I don’t think I was bad mentally at all.” 

So says Australian tennis’ most headline-worthy bad boy/pariah/peanut Nick Kyrgios after copping another code violation tonight at the Shanghai Masters, during his 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

There might be some truth in Kyrgios’ self-assessment, as his first set showed again that there’s a pretty bloody good player hiding in there.

Of course, it doesn’t seem like playing tennis is really the issue, just everything that comes with it. 

The 20-year-old took the code violation tonight for smashing a loose ball in the direction of a line judge, after also complaining about the stadium’s “fucking surface” in his last match. 
Kyrgios is already skirting around a possible four-week ban from playing if he picks up over $5000US of fines before February 24th next year. For those keeping track at home, any possible fine for tonight’s incident could add to the $1500US he gave up following Monday’s outing
That chunk of change won’t mean much compared to the possible winnings he’d have give up if he takes the ban. FWIW, seems pretty nonchalant about the whole ban thing, saying he’s “not concerned at all. If it happens, it happens.” 

via ABC.
Image: Lintao Zhang via Getty

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