Nick Kyrgios reignites feud with Bernard Tomic with reaction to Aussie's nightmare loss in 39 minutes on Challenger Tour
Former World No. 13 Nick Kyrgios has responded hilariously to Bernard Tomic's 39-minute loss in the Fairfield Challenger. Tomic was outclassed by Learner Tien in the final on Sunday, 6-0, 6-1.
Kyrgios and Tomic started their professional tennis careers on tour around the same time. They’ve had their share of conflicts while trying to be seen as the best player at the highest level.
Kyrgios recently reignited their feud by taking a dig at Tomic's early loss in the final of the ATP Fairfield Challenger. He reacted to a post highlighting the Australian's 39-minute loss with a laughing emoji via his social media account on 'X'.
While Kyrgios has been away from tennis for over a year, Tomic has been putting in the hard yards to find his best potential on the ATP Challenger circuit. He's had a decent season so far by amassing 22 wins from 40 matches, including a runner-up finish in the Fairfield Challenger.
Tomic also reached the quarterfinals in Bloomfield Hills, Bogota, Santo Domingo, Las Vegas, and Charleston, where he lost to Edas Butvilas in three sets. The veteran reflected on his early loss in Fairfield and explained how his legs gave up after the opening half hour.
“Once I lost the first two or three games, it was tough mentally staying on track. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep up with my legs" Bernard Tomic said in his post-match interview.
Coincidently, Tomic also holds the record for the quickest loss in a men's singles match on the ATP tour. He put up a dismal performance in the first round of the 2014 Miami Open, where he was defeated by Jarkko Niemeinen in 28 minutes, 6-0, 6-1.
"I’ve got a higher career ranking, more money, more wins and give back whenever I can"- Throwback to when Nick Kyrgios shut down talks of Bernard Tomic being better than him
Nick Kyrgios is expected to return to the men's tour this year. He was last seen competing in the 2023 Stuttgart Open, where he lost to Wu Yibing in the first round.
Kyrgios has always shared a bitter rivalry with former World No. 17 Bernard Tomic. The duo have also had multiple arguments with each other online and critiqued their performances on tour.
In May 2022, when a fan suggested that Tomic was better than Kyrgios, the 28-year-old was quick to dismiss this opinion, claiming that he achieved more things in his career than Tomic.
“Better in what way? I’ve got a higher career high (ranking). More money, more wins and give back whenever I can. It’s time for BT to just quiet down. He ain’t even playing anymore. I got years left,” Nick Kyrgios said (via news.com.au).
Bernard Tomic was quick to reply to these comments and stated that some of his achievements were too good for Kyrgios' liking.
“The only logical explanation is that I’m his idol,” Tomic said. He’s always been in my shadow growing up. That’s why anytime someone mentions my name to him, it gets under his skin," Tomic said.
“He knows he can’t re-write history. The records that I set when I was 16, 17, 18, and 19 — youngest slam quarter-finalist at Wimbledon (since Boris Becker), the biggest tournament in the world," he added.
Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios have never faced each other on the main tour.