Arguably, Pavic and Mektic are the best doubles players in the world. They won the gold at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. But, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis defeated the Croats in straight sets and then went on to win the title.
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The crowd at the Kia Arena during the second round match was rambunctious. They poured their support for Kyrgios and Kokkinakis. This did not sit well with the Croatian duo, who felt that they could have been a bit more respectful for the two other players in the arena as well.
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Mate Pavic thinks Nick Kyrgios does not respect his opponents
“I don’t know how to convey that to you. They are not correct, it is difficult to play in those conditions against Kokkinakis and especially Kyrgios, who, to be politically correct, is a circus performer and an idiot. Kyrgios is allowed a lot, he does not respect his opponents,” said Mate Pavić.
(Quotes have been translated using Google Translate)
He also spoke about how it was not uncommon to be entertainers on the court. He cited the example of Gaël Monfils, who, other than being an exceptional player, is also a “showman”. But he reiterated how the approach Kyrgios takes is ‘full of disrespect’. Pavic also said that Kyrgios gets away with it, because of his huge fan base.