Nick Kyrgios will not be part of the BBC’s team for this month’s tennis tournament, following ongoing controversies surrounding his past actions.
The 30-year-old tennis player, who has faced significant backlash after admitting to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2023, was originally hired by the BBC last year to provide commentary. However, his inclusion sparked outrage, especially from women’s rights groups and lawmakers, who criticized the corporation’s decision.
In the past year, Kyrgios has continued to generate controversy, especially after his role in the BBC’s coverage of the Australian Open. He was expected to appear again for the US coverage of the grand slam tournament on ESPN, but sources confirmed he will not be involved this time.
Kyrgios had hoped to compete at Wimbledon this year, marking his return after losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 final. However, his injury woes, which have plagued him for the past two years, have forced him to withdraw.
Although Kyrgios did not respond to requests for comment on his exclusion from the BBC’s coverage, a source close to him explained that he had planned to participate in the tournament, unlike last year.
The BBC’s hiring of Kyrgios in 2023 was met with strong disapproval from several senior MPs and women’s groups, including Caroline Nokes, the former chair of the Women and Equalities select committee. She stated that the BBC should “hang its head in shame” for offering Kyrgios a punditry job after he admitted to assaulting his ex-girlfriend.
In addition to his legal troubles, Kyrgios attracted further controversy for sharing posts from the misogynistic social media influencer Andrew Tate. Women’s Aid and Reclaim These Streets condemned the BBC’s decision to hire Kyrgios, given his online behavior.
In February 2023, Kyrgios pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend. While a magistrate in Canberra spared him a criminal record, calling the incident a “single act of stupidity,” his past actions remain divisive.
Despite this, the BBC defended its decision, emphasizing that Kyrgios was hired solely for his expertise on tennis. The broadcaster stated that it did not condone his past behavior, but that his legal matters had been resolved, and he had publicly addressed the incident.
Kyrgios later claimed that the matter had been “dealt with” and expressed confidence that he would bring valuable insight to the BBC’s coverage.
However, his outspoken behavior has continued. In 2023, he publicly criticized tennis star Jannik Sinner over a doping issue. Kyrgios was accused of targeting Sinner because the Italian player had been dating his ex-girlfriend.
American sports journalist Jon Wertheim suggested that Kyrgios’s criticism was more about personal issues than doping concerns. He argued that Kyrgios seemed to misunderstand the situation and was motivated by his past relationship with Kalinskaya.
Kyrgios responded, saying he had no personal issue with Sinner and simply opposed cheating in sports.
In a more bizarre turn, Kyrgios sparked controversy in October when he suggested in a podcast that the pyramids could not have been built by humans. He also shared other conspiracy theories during the interview.
When discussing his past social media posts about Andrew Tate, Kyrgios stated, “I was not aware of the full picture when I reposted Andrew Tate. Since I have learned of the full story, I have deleted posts, unfollowed him, and gone to all lengths to distance myself.”
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