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Nick Kyrgios unleashes on umpire during Cincinnati Masters victory over Borna Coric

Nick Kyrgios is in strife again, a day after forgetting his shoes.

Nick Kyrgios is in strife again, a day after forgetting his shoes. Photo: AAP

Nick Kyrgios has launched a blistering verbal attack on a chair umpire in his three-set win in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters, while reportedly admitting to tanking during the match.

As is often the case, there was much drama during Kyrgios’s 7-6 (7-1) 0-6 6-3 triumph over Borna Coric, with the Australian hitting a ball into the stands when a call went against him in the second set, resulting in him receiving a point penalty.

But what turned heads was his exchange with a courtside match official about the performance of the chair umpire when he trailed 5-0 in the second set against Coric.

“He (the umpire) can screw up a number of times, nothing happens to him,” Kyrgios complained.

Kyrgios, however, was not finished at this point.

“It’s continual, like every time I play with him,” Kyrgios said.

“No one in the locker room likes him, so why is he here?”

Kyrgios had also engaged with the crowd during the match, as he vented his frustration about the officiating.

“Where the hell do you find these guys?” he asked the crowd.

“You want to be a referee? You’re all eligible.”

There were suggestions on social media that Kyrgios had tanked the second set, with Egyptian journalist Reem Abulleil tweeting that Kyrgios told his entourage in the crowd “You’ll never see a bigger tank than the next three games”.

Kyrgios reportedly also took aim at his opponent Coric.

Twitter was abuzz with Kyrgios allegedly questioning how long it took the Croatian to serve in the second set.

It could have all fallen in a heap for Kyrgios in the third set, but impressively he rallied to win comfortably 6-3 to set up a clash with either Chung Hyeon or Juan Martin del Potro in the round of 16.

Kyrgios’s win over Coric came a day after he walked on court for his opening match against Denis Kudla having left his shoes in the locker room.

“Wait, what?” Kyrgios was heard saying on camera as he went through his tennis bag, before swearing when he realised what had taken place.

ABC

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