Roddick destroys Kyrgios: "Right now he is an influencer, just seeking interactions"

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There is a real combat going on in the world of tennis. And it goes beyond what happens on the court. After numerous public snubs, inflammatory statements, and personal tweets that angered more than one fan, Nick Kyrgios has encountered someone who stands up to him... and in a big way. It's Andy Roddick, who was also the target of one of his sharpest comments (the Canberra native insinuated that Andy was doping following his remarks about Iga Swiatek) and has had enough, defending himself against the accusations and pointing out Nick's hypocrisy in statements on his podcast SERVED.

"A few weeks ago, and this is something that borders on defamation, Nick insinuated that, because I chose to understand and explain the context of the Iga Swiatek case, trying to provide certain nuances and perhaps suggesting that anti-doping protocols are too strict, I had taken doping substances to enhance my performance throughout my career. He argues that if you test positive, you should be sanctioned forever... but it seems that if you have never tested positive, too," said the American ironically to start a speech that went much further, showing his anger with the Australian's behaviors on social media and labeling him as an influencer.

"This is something that bothered me a lot. Nick wants the likes, wants the interactions. He is currently a tennis influencer. He lives for likes, for the comment section. He feels cool, clearly. Mind you, what I'm about to say is not an exaggeration: he is one of the most talented tennis players I have ever seen in my life. His magic is on par with that of the Big Three. You can't take your eyes off the screen when he's playing well. However, the part of Kyrgios that conflicts me is the hypocrisy with which he chooses when to judge people," Andy pointed out.

COMMENTS ON CRUZ HEWITT AND HIS CASE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

The American wanted to give a very graphic example of this hypocrisy, pointing out the comments Nick left on Cruz Hewitt (son of the legendary Lleyton and only 16 years old) on his training photo with Sinner, including needles and insinuating he was training with a doper. Roddick chose to underline Kyrgios' stance regarding the cases of Sinner and Swiatek and contrasted it with his defense in the sexual assault case he was involved in, where he argued that at that time he was in a "very dark moment" and had mental health issues.

"Kyrgios has been the most vocal critic of Sinner. Yes, it's true that Sinner has tested positive in two anti-doping tests. That's a fact that will always be there. However: you can choose to look at the context and appreciate that there are very different cases, and maybe this allows people to better understand his case and even give him the benefit of the doubt. Kyrgios says no: he's a doper, proceeds to put needles in the comments of a 16-year-old kid, perfect. Kyrgios comes and turns that into something about himself, saying they thought they were brothers, blah blah blah.

His defense is that it was all a joke, but the lack of sensitivity you show by leaving that comment, filling a 16-year-old's post with trolls, with the worst of tennis fans... is absurd. Absurd. Why do I say this? You are someone who has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting your girlfriend, and there you want people to understand your context, saying you were in a bad moment, taking drugs. However: you're going to be the guy who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman forever, just like Sinner will be a guy who tested positive in an anti-doping test forever.

Now then: do we choose to contextualize your actions or not? I would never cross the line you crossed, but you have always wanted people to understand the moment and place in your life when that happened: it doesn't make it acceptable, but you try to show that that's not you, that you are not an abuser. You've always said you suffered from bullies, you suffered mentally from the abuse you received from the press and people's comments... and now, what are you doing? Are you accusing me of doping and want people to understand that what you did was due to the bullying you suffered? It's pure and simple hypocrisy." Roddick didn't hold back and will most likely soon receive a response from the Australian. Do you think Andy is right in his words?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Roddick destroza a Kyrgios: "Ahora mismo es un influencer, solo busca interacciones"