This wasn’t the smashing success Nick Kyrgios had in mind at the U.S. Open. (Watch the video below.)
The Australian tennis star violently slammed two rackets to pieces after his five-set quarterfinal loss to Karen Khachanov on Tuesday.
Kyrgios destroying his equipment produced this pearl from one observer: “Nick makes John McEnroe look like a choir boy.”
The No. 23 seed, still in search of his first Grand Slam title, hurled another racket to the court during the match.
Kyrgios later gave props to his opponent. “I’m obviously devastated,” he said, per the New York Post. “But all credit to Karen. He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior.”
It was an eventful tournament for Kyrgios, who often finds himself at the center of controversy.
He swore at his box for not cheering enough and got fined for it. He complained of a marijuana smell during one match. He turned heads by hitting a ball on his opponent’s side of the court and got dinged again for shouting obscenities in his upset victory over defending champ Daniil Medvedev.
His exit match on Tuesday also featured a bit of weirdness: Two fans were ejected for a haircut stunt.
Kyrgios is scheduled to appear in court in October after an ex-girlfriend accused him of assault and he was charged in July, according to Australian media.