REUTERS – Australian wild thing Nick Kyrgios edged a step closer to a possible ATP ban when he was fined for a verbal outburst in his first round match at the Shanghai Masters.

The ATP confirmed that the 20-year-old had been fined $1,500 for an “audible obscenity” during his 6-3 6-2 victory over Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer on Monday.

Kyrgios, ranked 32 in the world, received a suspended 28-day ban and $25,000 fine in August for vulgar comments directed towards Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka at the Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal.

At the time of handing out the punishment for “aggravated behaviour” the ATP said both the fine and suspension would be withheld on the condition that Kyrgios does not incur any fines for verbal or physical abuse at any ATP event for six months.

The ATP also imposed a $5,000 limit on collective fines for other incidents of bad behaviour during the same period.

Kyrgios’s latest outburst was apparently aimed at a cameraman and the court surface.

He is up against Japan’s Kei Nishikori on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Toby Davis)