Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 2 June 2017
Breaking rackets along the way, Kyrgios exits French Open

HOWARD FENDRICH hardly done. After gifting
AP Tennis Writer Anderson the set with a
PARIS (AP) — Nick Kyrgios’ second consecutive dou-
talent is undeniable. So is ble-fault, Kyrgios trudged to
his temperament. the sideline, head bowed,
Docked a point for smash- sat down and proceed-
ing rackets, the 18th-seed- ed to whack his racket six
ed Kyrgios went from a times against a metal box.
set and a break up in the The loud reverberations
French Open’s second caused Anderson to turn
round to a swift loss, ced- to his right and check out
ing 16 of the last 19 games what was going on — and
while being beaten 5-7, drew a point penalty, as-
6-4, 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday by sessed at the beginning of
Kevin Anderson. the third set.
As men’s tennis searches “I don’t know if that’s the
for the face of its next gen- best role model you want,”
eration, perhaps someone Kyrgios acknowledged
who one day will fill a void with a smile, after being
left by folks such as Roger told by a reporter that a
Federer, Rafael Nadal, boy sitting in the front row
Novak Djokovic and Andy at Court 3 was following this
Murray, there are those display from close-up. “But,
who believe Kyrgios, 22, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios breaks his racket in his second round match against South Africa’s Kevin I mean, I’m not trying to
has the flashy game and Anderson at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France. show anybody, really, my
attention-attracting per- Thursday, June 1, 2017. Associated Press frustration. I just do it for my-
sonality to fit the bill. self. “I’ve been doing it my
Still, it takes on-court suc- a way to get back in the en, and 2010 Wimbledon fell apart. whole career, really. I think
cess to lead a sport, and match.” runner-up Tomas Berdych Down 5-4 and serving, he it’s just a habit now.”
Kyrgios’ uneven attitude Other seeded players lost and 2013 French Open run- smacked a 136 mph (219 As for getting in his own
during matches can derail on Day 5 of the clay-court ner-up David Ferrer among kph) ace — one of his way during the course of
him at a moment’s notice. major, when No. 1 Andy the men. None, though, many skills — to get within a match, well, that has be-
That happened Thursday, Murray and No. 3 Stan departed quite as destruc- a point of 5-all. But then a come something of a hab-
and it was noticed by An- Wawrinka moved into the tively as Kyrgios, who has poor drop shot hit his side it, too.
derson — a 31-year-old third round. proven capable of beating of the net tape. Next came And opponents are aware.
South African ranked 56th Those exiting included No. stars such as Federer and a double-fault that gave Here was the way Ander-
and only once a quarterfi- 12 Madison Keys — both- Nadal, but also been prone Anderson a set point and son described his own
nalist in 31 appearances at ered by her surgically re- to fits of pique, not to men- prompted Kyrgios to spike mindset as they moved
Grand Slam tournaments. paired left wrist, the Ameri- tion losses before the fourth his racket, which got man- into the third set: “I really
“While he was sort of get- can was eliminated by round at six of the past gled and bounced so far it felt if I could stay on top
ting into his own head and 290th-ranked qualifier Pe- seven Grand Slam tourna- landed at the feet of a line of him early on, there was
struggling with some (of) tra Martic of Croatia 3-6, ments. judge behind the baseline. a chance that maybe he
his own battles,” Ander- 6-3, 6-1 — No. 20 Barbora After taking the opening That drew a warning from would give me a couple
son said, “I didn’t give him Strycova and No. 29 Ana set and leading 4-2 in the the chair umpire for rack- games here and there.”
Konjuh among the wom- second Thursday, Kyrgios et abuse. But Kyrgios was

Martina Navratilova says Margaret

Court is a “homophobe”

MELBOURNE, Australia “where possible” because named after Margaret
(AP) — Martina Navrati- the Australian airline “has Court, it seemed like the
lova has written an open become an active promot- right thing to do,” former
letter criticizing Margaret er for same-sex marriage.” No. 1-ranked Navratilova
Court’s comments about The 74-year-old Court has wrote. “After all, Rod Laver
same-sex marriage and been a critic of homosexu- already had the big stadi-
the lesbian, gay, bisexual ality for decades, and she um and Court is one of the
and transgender commu- expanded her comments all-time greats. I had long
nity. She is recommending in a Christian radio station ago forgiven Court for her At left, in a Jan. 26, 2015, file photo, Australian tennis great
that tennis officials rename interview this week. headline-grabbing com- Margaret Court looks on during the official launch of the re-
the arena that bears the On Thursday, Navratilova’s ments in 1990 when she modeled Margaret Court Arena at the Australian Open ten-
Australian great’s name at letter addressed to “Dear said I was a bad role model nis championship in Melbourne, Australia. At right, in a July 4,
Melbourne Park. Margaret Court Arena” because I was a lesbian.” 2015, file photo, former Grand Slam champion Martina Navra-
Court won a record 24 and published by Fair- “It is now clear exactly who tilova watches from the royal box on Centre Court at the All
England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London.
Grand Slam singles titles in fax Media newspapers in Court is: an amazing ten- Associated Press
the 1960s and 1970s and is Australia, suggested that nis player, and ... a homo-
now a Christian pastor. In a sporting venues should phobe. Her vitriol is not just man beings, too). She is this kind of behavior” and
letter published in The West be named for a person’s an opinion. She is actively demonizing trans kids and recommended that the
Australian newspaper last “whole body of work” and trying to keep LGBT people trans adults everywhere.” No. 2 arena at the Austra-
week, Court wrote that she “who they are as human from getting equal rights Navratilova said “we lian Open be given a new
would stop flying Qantas beings.” “When you were (note to Court: we are hu- should not be celebrating name.