Nick Kyrgios is back on the court—and back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The fiery Australian, returning to action at the Brisbane International after an 18-month hiatus, has reignited his feud with ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a series of controversial social media comments.
Kyrgios Targets Sinner Again
The latest incident began innocuously enough when Sinner trained with Cruz Hewitt, the 16-year-old son of Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt, at Melbourne’s iconic Rod Laver Arena. Cruz shared a photo of the session on Instagram, which quickly attracted Kyrgios’ attention.
In a now-viral comment, Kyrgios wrote, “I love you Cruz, but this is not good,” followed by another post calling the image “Contaminated post,” complete with a syringe emoji. The implications were clear, and they reignited a feud that has simmered for months.
A History of Unprovoked Attacks
This isn’t the first time Kyrgios has taken aim at Sinner. After losing his Brisbane opener to rising French talent Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Kyrgios responded to criticism about his performance with a pointed jab: “At least I haven’t failed any anti-doping tests yet,” a clear insinuation toward Sinner, despite the Italian never having been formally accused or penalized for any such violations.
Sinner, ever the professional, has chosen to maintain his silence on Kyrgios’ provocations, refusing to be drawn into the Australian’s theatrics. His focus remains on defending his Australian Open title and maintaining his status as World No. 1.
Kyrgios: Controversy Over Court Performance?
While Kyrgios has built a reputation as one of tennis’ most polarizing figures, his on-court performance has failed to back up his bravado. His Brisbane return ended with a lackluster loss to Mpetshi Perricard, leaving many to question if his antics are a distraction from his struggles to regain form.
For Sinner, the stakes are much higher. The 21-year-old Italian has already etched his name in tennis history, becoming the youngest ATP No. 1 in decades and capturing his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last year. With his eyes firmly set on a successful title defense, Sinner appears unfazed by Kyrgios’ provocations.
Will They Finally Clash on the Court?
A direct face-off between Kyrgios and Sinner could finally settle the score, but with their vastly different trajectories, it seems unlikely in the near future. Kyrgios has yet to return to his peak form, while Sinner is a leading contender for every major title on the ATP calendar.
For now, the “social feud” remains just that—one-sided jabs from Kyrgios met with dignified silence from Sinner. But as the Australian Open looms, fans and commentators alike will be watching to see if this rivalry spills onto the court.