Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis hit back at 'salty' rivals over locker room spat after Australian Open doubles upset

Thanasi Kokkinakis has shed more light on an apparent locker room confrontation involving himself, doubles partner Nick Kyrgios and rivals Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic. The Aussie pair stunned the Croatian duo 7-6 6-3 in an entertaining encounter on Friday but appeared to get under the skin of their opponents in the process. Ad/> Following the match, Kyrgios tweeted that Pavic’s coach threatened to fight them behind the scenes.

Australian Open‘Entertainer’ Kyrgios reaching ‘superstar’ status like Federer or Nadal5 HOURS AGO Kyrgios and Kokkinakis were asked about the incident against following their latest win over Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar. “It was pretty funny, I’m not going to lie,” laughed Kokkinakis. “Me and Nick were trying to be professionals after our doubles match.

“It was Pavic’s fitness trainer and he came up and smashed a foam roller against a pole as hard as he can and I thought he was kind of joking, I wasn’t sure if he was going to berate his players. ‘Entertainer’ Kyrgios reaching ‘superstar’ status like Federer or Nadal 'Thought it was UFC' — Kyrgios claims coach threatened to fight him after doubles upset ‘Most talented player in last 10 years’ – McEnroe hoping Kyrgios fulfils potential “Then he came up to Nick and said we’re being disrespectful. “Nick had hit the player with the ball but that’s natural.

Doubles players have unbelievable hands so you have to go at them.” Pavic and Mektic are the No. 1 ranked men’s doubles team in the world having won nine titles together in 2021 but came unstuck in Melbourne in front a boisterous partisan crowd which Kyrgios and Kokkinakis were all too happy to play up to. “They said we were showboating but it was just our energy and they were a bit salty because