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Nick Kyrgios' inclusion in an ATP-themed New Year cartoon sparked furious reactions from angry fans. According to the fans, significantly higher-ranked stars like Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas would have been more apt for the cartoon instead of the controversial Australian.
On Wednesday, January 1, the official Instagram handle of Tennis TV shared a picture to usher in the New Year. The picture, a cartoon, featured avatars of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Novak Djokovic, Andrey Rublev and Nick Kyrgios. Apart from Kyrgios, all the other players currently feature in the top 10 of the ATP Tour rankings.
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However, most fans criticized the cartoon over its inclusion of Kyrgios, a former World No. 13 who is currently unranked due to two injury-ravaged seasons spanning 2023 and 2024. Several suggested that Alex de Minaur (No. 9), Grigor Dimitrov (No. 10) or Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 11) should have been picked, and not the controversial Australian.
"Leaving out a legend like Grigor for a clown like Nick," a fan wrote.
"Why was the World number 10 Dimitrov replaced with a non-ranked Kyrgios?" asked one fan.
"Is Nick even needed in this cartoon??! Like the others I get it they were the top 10 last year... So in that way shouldn't Alex be there too? I hate how Nick is being given way too much importance," another stated.
"I'd rather have Tsitsipas than Kyrgios," opined yet another fan.
There were others who accused the tennis media of "forcing" fans to consume Nick Kyrgios content. One even opined that with the exception of Novak Djokovic, no one in the cartoon would enjoy sharing space with Kyrgios.
"Why the hell Nick is put in the cartoon?! Stop forcing him down our throats!" wrote one fan.
"I don't think anyone in that room but Nole would particularly enjoy Kyrgios being there," another chimed in.
Kyrgios has been a polarizing figure in the tennis world for several years. While the Australian's on-court talent and skills often leave fans bewildered, his controversial outbursts and opinions tend to rub a lot of people the wrong way.
In 2024, the 2022 Wimbledon Championships finalist sparked countless debates and arguments over his regular swipes at reigning World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Kyrgios' shots at the Italian stemmed from the latter twice testing positive for the prohibited substance Clostebol earlier in the year. According to the Australian, the authorities were biased in Sinner's favor and should have punished the Italian with a lengthy suspension.
During a recent press conference at the 2025 Brisbane International, Kyrgios opened up about his controversial views on Sinner's doping row.
"It's actually awful, and it's not okay" - Nick Kyrgios' brutally honest admission on Jannik Sinner's doping controversy
At a 2025 Brisbane International press conference, Nick Kyrgios gave an elaborate answer when asked about his stance on Jannik Sinner's doping saga that triggered shockwaves in the tennis world in 2024. Kyrgios lauded Sinner for his on-court abilities but reiterated his belief that the Italian should have received a stringent punishment.
"Okay, he's No. 1 in the world, he is an amazing tennis player. I never said he's not. I just think the treatment has to be fair for everyone. Two world No. 1s both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It's a horrible look. Yeah, the tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it, it's awful. It's actually awful. And it's not okay," Kyrgios said.
The Australian made his comeback in Brisbane, but suffered a first-round loss in singles to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. In doubles, Kyrgios teamed up with Djokovic, but the pair was eliminated in the second round despite showing flashes of brilliance as a collective.
