Nick Kyrgios reacts to Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff asking for more trash talk in tennis
Nick Kyrgios has given his say on the recently much-debated matter of trash talk in tennis. The Australian, known for his fiery on-court antics, joked that Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff wouldn't like it if banter was allowed among the players.
After her and Pegula's recent doubles triumph at the 2023 Miami Open, Gauff shared her views on trash talk in tennis. She lamented not being able to indulge in verbal exchanges, something that is common in sports like basketball.
"I wouldn't take it personally. I played other sports growing up, I played basketball and ran track. In those sports we trash talk a lot and I was the only girl on the boys team. I got some dishes and you had to dish some back. And anyone who knows my dad ... he would be so pro trash talk," Gauff stated.
Pegula backed up Gauff's statement, saying:
"My coach said the same thing. It's so normal for them."
Further emphasizing her point, Gauff pointed out how social media makes a big deal whenever tennis players engage in banter on the court.
"If you call someone out from across the tennis court, the whole crowd, the umpire, and Twitter is going to know. That's why when it's happened once or twice it's just such a big deal. I wish it wasn't like that," she said.
Kyrgios took to Twitter to react to Gauff and Pegula's statements.
"Lol they don’t want that," he wrote in response to the duo's interview with WTA Insider.
Lol they don’t want that twitter.com/wta_insider/st…
Kyrgios is no stranger to trash talk on the tennis court. The mercurial Aussie received a hefty fine from the ATP in 2015 after he told Stan Wawrinka that his girlfriend cheated on him with another tennis player.
Nick Kyrgios yet to disclose his schedule for 2023
Nick Kyrgios was all set to begin his season at the 2023 Australian Open. However, a sudden knee injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament.
The Aussie subsequently expressed his intention to take part in the 2023 French Open. However, that hasn't been confirmed yet.
Nick Kyrgios last played on tour at the 2022 Japan Open, where he lost to Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals. He also played a couple of exhibition events in the Middle East last December.