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The past animosity between Nick Kyrgios and Stan Wawrinka is not a secret in the tennis world. But the situation was even uglier than most fans assume, according to former director of the Canadian Open Eugene Lapierre.
Lapierre recently recounted how Kyrgios and Wawrinka once had to be separated to avoid a big fight.
The incident occurred during a match between the two players at the Canadian Open in 2015, when Lapierre was at the helm. Kyrgios directed a filthy sledge towards Wawrinka on the court and the Swiss player learned exactly what Kyrgios had said only after the match, revealed Lapierre.
A "furious" Wawrinka then rushed to the locker room and confronted Kyrgios. Recounting the events of that day, Lapierre stated that things would have gotten serious if their confrontation had not been interrupted by others present in the locker room.
"Wawrinka hadn't heard, but Kyrgios' comments were on TV because of the microphones on the pitch," Eugene Lapierre told Journal de Quebec, according to TVA Sports.
"In a press conference, a journalist informed him of what had been said. Wawrinka was furious! It's like he just lost face in front of everyone. He quickly went down to the locker room, where Kyrgios was still. They had to be separated, because it risked degenerating quickly," he added.
Nick Kyrgios, known for being at the center of numerous controversies over the years, told Wawrinka during the match that his fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis had "b**ged his girlfriend." Kyrgios was referring to WTA star Donna Vekic, who was dating Wawrinka at the time.
The comment quite understandably infuriated Wawrinka, who later took to social media to express his thoughts on his opponent's behavior.
"What was said I wouldn't say to my worst enemy. To stop so low is not only unacceptable but also beyond belief," Stan Wawrinka wrote on Twitter after the match.
The aftermath of the incident between Nick Kyrgios and Stan Wawrinka
Back then, Stan Wawrinka demanded action be taken against Nick Kyrgios for his inappropriate comments and personal jibes that were heard worldwide. The three-time Grand Slam champion urged the ATP to take strict action against Kyrgios and also stated that the Australian player often showed unsportsmanlike conduct towards opponents.
Kyrgios, on his part, apologized to Wawrinka on social media after their heated exchange. He was later fined USD 10,000 and handed a 28-day ban by the ATP for his comments during the match.
However, a few months after the incident Kyrgios suggested that he had mended fences with Wawrinka. They have faced each other on the court four times since then, with both players winning two matches each.
