Nick Kyrgios fires back at critic over 'child' label after 'disappointing' Australian Open 1R exit

Controversial Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has fired back at AFL commentator Kane Cornes, who called him the "most disappointing Australian athlete ever" and also labeled him a "29-year-old child." The exchange comes on the heels of Kyrgios' first-round exit from the 2025 Australian Open, igniting a fresh wave of debate over the controversial player's conduct and career.

Kyrgios made his highly anticipated return to the Grand Slam stage on January 12, 2025, after a 28-month hiatus marked by multiple injuries that required surgeries. However, his comeback was short-lived as he succumbed to a 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-7(2) defeat to Jacob Fearnley in the first round on Monday.

During his time away from the court, Kyrgios kept himself in the public eye through commentary gigs at prestigious tournaments and a series of controversial social media posts, particularly his sharp opinions on the doping sagas involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

Amidst this backdrop, Cornes, a former Australian football player turned media presenter, unleashed a barrage of criticism about Kyrgios' off-court conduct and his career during an appearance on SEN Breakfast.

"I just feel like we talk about this guy too much. And I understand why. But he's absolutely dominated the headlines in the last two to three weeks in the lead-up to the Australian Open. And that's not unusual. That happens from time to time. We're not going to see and hear the last of him, because I feel like his role in the game will be significant, whether he's playing or not, because he is box office. And despite him being our most disappointing Australian athlete ever, he will still have a role to play because people are interested in him," he said.

"This is a guy who sits there and criticizes everyone else, who sits on his high horse and criticizes everyone, be that ball kids, be that line judges, be that other opponents...You look at the class in which Roger Federer or others with a similar level of talent as Nick carried themselves. So I think Andy Roddick described it and him in the best possible way, where he said he's a tennis influencer. That's the best, most modern way that you can describe Nick Kyrgios. He's a child. He's a 29-year-old child," he added (1:39).

Watch the video here:

Nick Kyrgios, true to his outspoken nature, wasted no time in responding. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he dismissed Cornes' critique with a pointed remark:

"Gotta love comments from an athlete who didn’t play a global sport, appreciate the kind words brother x."

Attempting to defuse the tension with humor, Cornes responded with a cheeky tweet:

"What about from a failed fireman?" referring to his mid-season retirement to pursue firefighting before transitioning to a media career.

Kyrgios, unphased, replied:

"I didn’t even know who you were to be fair."

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Nick Kyrgios is still active in the Australian Open doubles event

Nick Kyrgios at the 2025 Australian Open (Images source: Getty)

Nick Kyrgios teamed up with compatriot and close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis for the doubles event at the 2025 Australian Open. The pair are set to begin their doubles campaign on January 16, 2025, facing the Australian duo of Aleksandar Vukic and James Duckworth.

The winner of this match will take Australian wildcard duo Luke Saville and Li Tu in the second round.

Meanwhile, Kokkinakis recently wrapped up his singles campaign with a second-round defeat to 15th seed Jack Draper, falling 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-3, 5-7, 3-6 on Wednesday, January 15.