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Controversial Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has defended his colleague Matteo Berrettini in response to remarks made by legendary Italian tennis player Nicola Pietrangeli.
Pietrangeli recently took a dig at Berrettini while accepting his sporting achievement award in Rome, saying that the young Italian was more interested in advertising than tennis. Pietrangeli also claimed that Berrettini's "legs don't move the way they should" on the court.
"It seems to me that [Matteo Berrettini] is dedicating himself more to advertising than to tennis," he said. "He is a good boy, but he is a bit like Panatta was: fantastic from the waist up, but the legs [don’t move the way they should on court]."
In light of this, Nick Kyrgios took to Twitter to defend Berrettini, saying that it is his choice to prioritize things and no one else's. The Australian went on to claim that Berrettini makes more money than Jannik Sinner off the court, adding that there was nothing wrong with that given that money is "important" to some.
"But isn’t it his choice to prioritise? I can assure you this, he is making more bank than Sinner off the court and for some of us, money is important," Nick Kyrgios wrote.
"I am sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused" - Nick Kyrgios on assault charges made by ex-girlfriend
Nick Kyrgios recently pleaded guilty, in the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates Court, to assaulting ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari during an argument in Canberra in January 2021.
The Aussie was not convicted by Magistrate Jane Campbell for a variety of reasons, none of which went over well with tennis fans at the time. Following the verdict, Kyrgios took to Instagram to break his silence on the matter, saying that he wasn't in a good place at the time of the incident and that he deeply regrets whatever he did.
"I respect today’s ruling and I am grateful to the court for dismissing the charges without conviction. I was not in a good place when this happened and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret. I know it wasn’t OK and I am sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused," Kyrgios wrote.
The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up also expressed gratitude to his current girlfriend Costeen Hatzi, as well as his family and friends, for their support throughout the tough time. He further stated that he was focusing on recovering from his injury and moving forward.
"Mental health is tough. Life can seem overwhelming. But I have found that getting help and working on myself has allowed me to feel better. I can never thank Costeen, my family and friends enough for supporting me through this process. I now plan to focus on recovering from injury and moving forward in the best way possible," Kyrgios concluded.
After missing the Australian Open at the start of the year, the 27-year-old is currently in the midst of rehabilitation for his knee injury. He is expected to be back in time for the Indian Wells Masters in March.
