Nick Kyrgios has questioned whether “old retired players” always have a right to comment on current stars - though the Australian has suggested he will heed the advice given by Andy Roddick in a comical video.
Roddick last week released a guide on Twitter for frustrated players to throw their racket without the risk of causing injury.
The 2003 US Open’s winner video comes after a number of high-profile recent incidents involving angry players causing or nearly causing injury to non-playing individuals on-court.
Among these was Kyrgios, who came close to striking a ball boy with an errant toss of his racket during a quarter-final defeat to Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells - and Roddick believes a change of technique will prevent players getting into trouble.
“Hey, Andy Roddick here,” The American begins. “There’s been a lot of controversy over the last month with Alexander Zverev breaking his racket into the umpire’s chair down in Mexico.
“Nick Kyrgios almost hitting a ball kid with a racket, obviously. Novak Djokovic firing a ball and unfortunately hitting an umpire’s throat a couple years ago at the US Open.
“I’m going to save all the players a lot of drama and teach them how to throw a racquet without getting in trouble.”
Demonstrating an advisable method of frustration venting, Roddick continues: “When throwing a racket it’s beneficial to throw it face down.
“It doesn’t go anywhere, you’re not gonna hit anyone, it’ll land in a little circle of, like, four feet.”
The American accidentally struck a photographer during his own playing career, failing to keep a tight enough handle on his grip as he swatted the ball skywards and watching it spin towards the snapper during a 2007 Australian Open semi-final against Roger Federer.
In response to the video, Kyrgios admitted that he “loves” Roddick, and agrees that players should be more cautious not to over-step the line with their outbursts of anger on-court.
However the 26-year-old believes that Roddick’s tips are part of a wider pattern of ex-players commenting on matters that they might not necessarily be qualified to.
Kyrgios highlighted the example of Daniela Hantuchova, the former world number five and Australian Open semi-finalist who said recently that Emma Raducanu was “losing the respect” of her opponents on the WTA Tour just months on from US Open triumph.
Kyrgios suggested that Raducanu is already a “far bigger name” than the Slovak.
“What’s with old retired players giving their opinion on our stars now?” Kyrgios asked in a tweet.
“I love A-rod [Andy Roddick] and I agree we all need to chill with the rackets and all that, but geezus, I read an article about a past female player talking about radacanu [sic], no offence but she is a far far bigger name already.”
