Nick Kyrgios calls out Pat Cash after ‘stupid’ criticism of rowdy crowds at the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios has branded former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash “stubborn, old, stuck in his ways” for complaining about boisterous crowds at the Australian Open.

Cash, who began the trend of climbing into the players’ box when he won at the Wimbledon in 1987, claimed international players could even take the draconian step of not going to Australia due to the abuse they receive from fans.

“I think the Australian crowds in the last 10 years have got a little out of control,” Cash told ABC TV in a documentary about the Grand Slam at Melbourne Park.

“Cheer on your countrymen, no problems, but they’re not representing your country, they’re individual and I think we need to understand that.”

He added: “We should have more respect for the international players that come over here.

“We’ve got to also accept that if it goes too far, there’s a chance that these players will say, ‘I’m not going to come to Australia anymore. I go there and I get abused, what’s the point of that?'”

The 28-year-old said tennis needs more crowd interaction to draw the attention of younger viewers in the stands and online.

“Absolutely stupid comment by another old head that has no idea how marketing or how things work in today’s day and age,” Kyrgios told Daily Mail Australia.

“You need entertainment. This generation doesn’t have a long attention span. That’s why you see clips on Instagram rolling. They’re 15-20 seconds long.

“Someone like Pat Cash wouldn’t be able to grasp that concept. And I’m not taking anything away from Pat Cash. Incredible player of his generation, but we need to continue to make the sport grow for fans everywhere.”

Kyrgios was at the heart of some of the most raucous scenes in Melbourne in recent years when he and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis won the men’s doubles title in 2022.

The same year, Ash Barty became the first Australian woman to win the singles title on home soil for 44 years.

“We need the crowds to feel part of the sport. We need entertainment. We need people having beers and the players loving it. We need human interaction. We’re human, not robots. We need it to be like that,” Kyrgios added.

“That year was incredible. Ash Barty was playing some of the best tennis in her career. She won the Grand Slam. Me and Thanasi won the Grand Slam. And it was the highest viewership.

“That’s not by coincidence. It was Ash putting on a hell of a show with her quality of tennis, and Thanasi and I were doing it a different way.

“With everything I do on and off the court, entertainment value, putting eyes on this. It just makes everyone else more money in the sport. That’s all it does. And if Pat Cash can’t see that – stubborn, old, stuck in his ways.”

Injury has forced Kyrgios off the court and into the commentary booth for his home slam this year.

And Cash is not the only ex-pro in Kyrgios’ sights, as the 28-year-old has also recently taken aim at Boris Becker.