Tennis fans liked Nick Kyrgios' commentary at the Australian Open, where he interviewed Coco Gauff. Photo: Getty Images/Graham Denholm
The BBC's plans to hire Nick Kyrgios as a pundit for Wimbledon this summer have sparked outrage among senior MPs and women's campaigners.
Caroline Nokes, chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, said the corporation should “hang its head in shame” for agreeing the terms after he admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend last year.
Jamie Klingler, co-founder of Reclaim These Streets also expressed dismay at the expert's work, given that Kyrgios also retweeted social media posts by misogynist Andrew Tate.
Kyrgios admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend in February last year, but a judge in Canberra, Australia, called the incident a “single act of stupidity or frustration”, clearing him of a criminal record.
However, BBC bosses appear to have ignored it controversy as he will join the Wimbledon team as a pundit if he does not defy expectations and regain fitness.
“The BBC should hang its head in shame at this appointment,” Ms Noakes, a senior Conservative party member, told Telegraph Sport. “This is a disgrace and shows the utter contempt our national broadcaster has for women. Not content with continually underpaying their female staff and pushing women out after reaching a certain age, they are now taking on board Wimbledon a man who has admitted to assaulting a woman.”
Women's Aid also expressed concern about Bi -BC. Teresa Parker, the charity's head of media, told Telegraph Sport: “We are shocked to learn of the BBC's appointment of a Wimbledon pundit who pleaded guilty to assaulting an ex-girlfriend last year.
“Nick Kyrgios was also publicly accused of supporting the social media content of a notorious misogynist who was himself arrested on charges of violence against women. We are concerned that this appointment sends a wake-up call about how seriously we as a society take violence against women.
“We know from the survivors we speak to that when perpetrators of domestic violence are seen to continue in public life as normal, and especially given a public platform, it sends a message that domestic violence is not taken seriously by society. There are many potential Wimbledon experts – why hire an abuser?
Telegraph Sport understands BBC bosses gave the green light to Kyrgios after concluding the trial was over and he offered an explanation. They believe he will offer viewers “unique insight and analysis” as a current player and Grand Slam finalist, as he has already done for others.
Ms Klingler added: “It's amazing how quickly we are willing to reject violence against women if the man committing such violence can hit a ball or a musical note.”
Last year Kyrgios appeared in Canberra Magistrates' Court on crutches. Photo: Shutterstock/Mick Tsikas
The most controversial player of the past decade, Kyrgios has played just one match in the last 18 months due to various physical problems, notably his knee and wrist.
Despite a recent podcast appearance in which he said he would “be back soon” on the court… the fire is still burning in the belly,” Kyrgios will need a long period of gym work and specific tennis training to be ready for the tour.
Kyrgios was just 29 years old but began his commentating career during the ATP Finals in Turin late last year, then worked for ESPN at January's Australian Open. He has impressed many with his insight and fluency behind the microphone, but throughout his playing career he has divided opinions like few others. He could be rude, as when he famously told Stan Wawrinka that “Kokkinakis hit your girlfriend” or when he threw a chair onto the court during a tantrum.
However, he was also capable of superb tennis, particularly at Wimbledon, where he reached the final in 2022 before losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets.
Kyrgios' Reaching the 2022 Wimbledon final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic, earned him fans for his play on the grass. Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville
Possessing the most flexible and explosive serve in the game, Kyrgios has achieved his best performance on grass since he beat Rafael Nadal on Center Court in 2013. He was only 18 years old at the time.
However, this victory also had a downside. It made Kyrgios a celebrity in Australia and created a burden of expectations that he struggled to cope with. By 2019, his mental health had reached such a low point that he contemplated suicide. “I drank, I abused drugs, I hated the person I was,” Kyrgios said in the Netflix documentary series Breakpoint.
He released a statement after he was not charged with assault last year, saying he was grateful the court dropped the charges.
“I wasn't in the best shape when it happened and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way that I deeply regret,” he said. “I know it was wrong and I'm truly sorry for the pain I caused.”
He pushed Chiara Passari to the pavement during an argument in Canberra in 2021, the court heard.
He pushed Chiara Passari to the pavement during an argument in Canberra in 2021.
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The BBC previously replaced John Inverdale as host of the Wimbledon highlights show, with the move coming after two years after he was accused of making sexist comments about women's champion Marion Bartoli.
The BBC later apologized for the “insensitive” comments and Inverdale remained a commentator until he quit last year.
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Kyrgios was not the only Australian profiled by the BBC on Wednesday. 2021 Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty has also joined the commentary team this summer.
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