Australian tennis player Nick Kirios said that for many years he had been treated disrespectfully by fans, noting racist statements directed at him.
On Saturday, Kyrios lost to Briton Andy Murray in the semi-final of the Stuttgart tournament. The Australian received three bookings for the game and said he heard insults from the stands.
“I’ve been playing this sport since I was seven years old. Yes, I’m human and I’m not always good at managing my emotions. I stopped caring what people think I should be. I play tennis to give people a show and to feel something different from ordinary tennis. But one thing I will never tolerate is when the public is rude and insults the athletes.
This has been happening to me personally for a long time – from racist comments to complete disrespect. For years I ignored it, but at the Indian Wells tournament and today in Stuttgart, I realized that people thought it was normal. I see it happening in other sports and with many other athletes. We play for you, whether you support the opponent or not. You may not realize it’s a big deal, but it can affect someone’s life more than you think. Wake up. Not just in tennis, but in any other sport.
Young athletes, black or not, I hope this message is heard so that you never feel alienated or embarrassed to be yourselves and perform on the world stage, Kyrios wrote on the social network.
Kirios is the winner of six ATP tournaments in singles, the winner of the Australian Open in doubles. At present, the 27-year-old Australian is ranked 78th in the world rankings.
Source : MatchTV
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