Nick Kyrgios begs Wimbledon commentator not to bring up one of his legal dramas on TV – and it’s NOT his assault conviction

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has begged a fellow Wimbledon commentator not to bring up his past legal troubles. But it wasn’t his high-profile assault charge against his ex-girlfriend that he was trying to suppress.

Kyrgios is back on the BBC commentary team at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club this year, having last played a competitive tennis match in June 2023 due to a series of injuries.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has struggled with serious wrist, knee and foot problems over the past two years, as well as a host of legal issues.

He was charged with simple assault, among other things, for pushing his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to this charge.

Kyrgios was unimpressed when fellow BBC One commentator and former tennis star Andrew Castle raised a very different drama.

The veteran commentator instead decided to grill Kyrgios about his removal of a spectator from the Wimbledon crowd during his men’s singles final loss to Novak Djokovic, saying at the time that “it looked like she had about 700 drinks”.

“She distracts me when I’m serving in a Wimbledon final. There’s no greater occasion, you didn’t believe me and then she did it again. It almost cost me the match,” Kyrgios raged.

“Why is she still here? She’s drunk and talking to me in the middle of a game. What’s acceptable? Throw her out. I know exactly which one it is. The one in the dress, who looks like she’s had about 700 drinks, bro.”

Kyrgios and Castle were on commentary for the English-language showdown between Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie when the incident occurred.

Draper complained to the chair umpire about someone in the crowd. He said, “That guy needs to stop talking during my service.” The umpire then warned the crowd.

Castle quickly saw the similarities and jokingly said: “Draper’s a little irritated with someone. Maybe they’ve had 500 beers, mate?”

Kyrgios quickly responded: ‘Oh no! We can’t say that, otherwise I’ll get into trouble!’

“Since when have you been trying to avoid that?” Castle asked.

“Yes, that’s right,” Kyrgios replied with a laugh.

Castle: ‘Starting a new chapter? Being a good boy?’

Kyrgios: ‘I’m trying to find the balance.’

Kyrgios could see the humor in the incident, but things were different in 2022, when the Australian star was given a hefty fine for his accusations.

The woman in question was Polish lawyer Anna Palus. She claimed she had only consumed two alcoholic drinks and decided to start a defamation case against Kyrgios to ‘clear her name’.

She stressed at the time that as a lawyer she would not normally take such action, but she felt she had no other choice.

“I do not intend to litigate, but after much deliberation I have concluded that I have no choice but to instruct my attorneys, Brett Wilson LLP, to initiate defamation proceedings against Mr. Kyrgios in order to clear my name,” she said in a statement.

Kyrgios subsequently apologised to Palus and admitted he had made a ‘mistake’ with his claim at Centre Court, following which the proceedings were dropped.

“I accept that belief was incorrect and I apologise,” Kyrgios said at the time.

‘To make amends, I have donated £20,000 to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, a charity chosen by Mrs Palus.

“I will not comment further on this.”

It is the second time at this tournament that Kyrgios has come under fire for his previous run-ins with the law.

Earlier, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, chair of the women’s rights and equalities committee, said the BBC should be “ashamed” of appointing the Australian star as a commentator after he admitted assaulting his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari.

Kyrgios was spared a criminal conviction for pushing his ex-girlfriend to the ground during a row in Canberra in 2021.

The act, classified as a common assault, was considered a moment of “stupidity” and “frustration” rather than a planned action. According to the BBC, this incident should not affect his ability to work on their reporting.

“As a current and leading player, Nick Kyrgios will provide insight and analysis of the action on court, based on his experience of the game,” the BBC said in a statement.

‘We do not condone his past actions and behavior, both on and off the tennis court, in any way. He was only hired to share his opinions on tennis.

‘He has provided similar services to other major sports broadcasters in recent months.

“The legal proceedings he was involved in have been completed, are well documented and he has spoken openly about them.”