Fallout from Nick Kyrgios’ ‘pep talk’ from umpire Mohamed Lahyani rumbles on at the US Open

Pep talk | The incident that's caused a stir at the US Open
Paul Newman31 August 2018

The furore over Nick Kyrgios’ “pep talk” from umpire Mohamed Lahyani here at the US Open showed no signs of abating last night and could yet result in sanctions against the official.

Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Kyrgios’ opponent, accused the United States Tennis Association of “taking us for fools” with their bizarre initial response to the incident, though it later emerged that the tournament was still investigating and had yet to decide whether to take any further action.

Lahyani, one of the most experienced and admired umpires, had got down from his chair during a changeover to talk to Kyrgios when the controversial Australian was a set and 3-0 down in his second-round match and looking like he hardly wanted to play. “I want to help you,” Lahyani told Kyrgios. “You’re great for tennis.”

Kyrgios perked up almost immediately and went on to win the match 4-6 7-6 6-3 6-0. The Australian later denied that Lahyani had given him encouragement and said the official had simply been concerned that what was happening was not good for the image of the sport.

Herbert, however, said that Lahyani should not have got down from his chair to “take the position of a coach, like you see on the WTA tour”. Coaches are allowed on court to talk to their players on the women’s tour, but on-court coaching is strictly forbidden on the men’s tour and at Grand Slam tournaments.

The USTA then issued an anodyne statement which appeared to take Lahyani’s side, saying the umpire had simply been concerned to see if Kyrgios needed medical attention and had warned the Australian about his “seeming lack of interest in the match”.

That response infuriated Herbert, who issued a statement of his own saying he was still awaiting an explanation. “I am even more upset [about] the statement of the USTA that is clearly taking us for fools,” he said.

Roger Federer said the same thing would not happen when he meets Kyrgios in the third round tomorrow [Saturday]. “It's not the umpire's role to go down from the chair,” he added. “You don't go and speak like that in my opinion.”

Most of the comment on social media was critical of Lahyani, though Andy Murray jokingly asked Kyrgios when he would be appointing the umpire as his new coach.

Riccardo Piatti, one of the game’s most respected coaches, said Lahyani’s behaviour had been “totally inappropriate”, while Andy Roddick said the umpire had acted at the wrong time and place.

Novak Djokovic meanwhile admitted to a loss of concentration as he dropped a set for the second match in a row before beating Tennys Sandgren 6-1 6-3 6-7 6-2 in the night session to secure a third-round meeting with Richard Gasquet.

"I thought I played really well in the first two sets and then I lost it mentally," Djokovic said after the match. "I lost my composure and concentration, but I got it back in the fourth."

Caroline Wozniacki, the No 2 seed, followed Simona Halep, the No 1 seed, out of the women's tournament when she was beaten 6-4 6-2 by Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, the world No 36. Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January but has failed to go beyond the fourth round of all three subsequent Grand Slam events.

Sloane Stephens, the defending champion and No 3 seed, is now the highest seed left in the women’s draw. The American meets Victoria Azarenka in today’s [Friday’s] opening match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

In Pictures | Nick Kyrgios: Memorable Moments

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