Nick Kyrgios said he faced racist abuse from the crowd during a semifinal loss to Andy Murray at the Stuttgart Open. (More Hockey News)
Nick Kyrgios stopped mid-way during 𝔉the semi-final match against Andy Murray and continued only after spe💝aking to the tournament supervisor.
Nick Kyrgios said he faced racist abuse from the crowd during a semifinal loss to Andy Murray at the Stuttgart Open. (More Hockey News)
T♑he Australian posted on Instagram following the 7-6 (5), 6-2 loss to Murray that he had heard abusive comments from t🍸he stands on Saturday.
"When is this going to stop? Dealing with racial slurs from the crowd?&qu🎉ot; he wrote on Instagram.
"I understand t♛hat my behavior isn't the best all the time — but you little black sheep' shut up and play' little comments like this are not acceptable. When I retaliate to the crowd I get penalised. This is messed up."
Kyrgios was given a point penalty for breaꦺking his racket at the end of the first-set tiebreaker, and then a game penalty for unsportsmanlike condu♔ct in the second set after he approached the crowd and appeared to ask: "What did you say?"
Kyrgios then sat down and did not continue the match until he had spoken with the tournament🐼 supervisor.
Murray will play his first grass-court singles final since winning Wimbledon in 🍒2016 wh💫en he plays second-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's final.
Murray stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals on Friday, the first win for Murray in six years against an♛ opponent ranked in the top five.
It's the second final of 202🔴2 for Murray, who lost to Aslan Karatsev at the hard-court Sydney Tennis Classic in January, and the first time that he has reached two finals in the same season since 2017.
Murray, who has struggled to get back to his best following hip surgery, last won a tour singles title at theඣ European Open i⛦n Belgium in 2019 and has a 46-23 record in finals.
Berrettini prevailed 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) over Oscar Otte in a tight match with no breaks of serve. Berrettini saved a set point in the first-set tiebreaker a🗹nd needed three match point🦹s to close out the win.
Murray and Berrettini each won one of their two ♛career meetings, with Berrettini the victor in their o𒐪nly grass-court match at Queen's Club last year.