Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios of Australia smashes another racket Image Credit: AFP

Nick Kyrgios, the outspoken Australian tennis star, has once again let rip over the coronavirus-hit, ill-fated Adria Tour. This time t is Dominic Thiem who is on the receiving end for defending players who competed at the competition and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

Kyrgios has repeatedly criticised organisers and players at the abandoned event in the Balkans, where Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive for coronavirus.

Thiem, who also played in the charity event but did not contract the virus, told Austrian media that Kyrgios had “made a lot of mistakes” and should not criticise others.

Dominic Thiem
Dominic Thiem defeated Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals in London. Image Credit: Reuters

The comment triggered a rebuke from Kyrgios on social media.

“What are you talking about @ThiemDomi? Mistakes like smashing rackets? Swearing? Tanking a few matches here or there? Which everyone does?” Kyrgios wrote on Twitter. “None of you have the intellectual level to even understand where I’m coming from. I’m trying to hold them accountable.”

Kyrgios said that players who were seen partying while the pandemic raged proved they thought it was a “joke”.

“People losing lives, loved ones and friends, and then Thiem standing up for the ‘mistake’,” he added.

Kyrgios last week hit out at Alexander Zverev after a video of the German player dancing at a crowded club emerged online despite the world No. 7 pledging he would self-isolate following his appearance at the Adria Tour.