Nick Kyrgios, the controversial Australian tennis star, unleashed a scathing attack on the BBC via Instagram after being dropped from their Wimbledon commentary team, per Express. The 30-year-old, who served as a pundit in 2024 despite backlash over his 2021 guilty plea for assaulting ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari, revealed his replacement, Sam Querrey, with a brutal dig, posting, “No BBC for me this year… enjoy the snoozefest with Querrey’s ‘insights’ 😂,” per Daily Mail. Kyrgios’ exclusion, reported by The Telegraph, followed criticism from MPs like Caroline Nokes, who called his 2024 hiring a “disgrace,” and women’s groups like Reclaim These Streets, per Wales Online.
Kyrgios, sidelined from playing Wimbledon due to a wrist injury, had hoped to compete but confirmed his withdrawal on social media, stating, “I’ve hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won’t make it back for grass season,” per The Canberra Times. The BBC’s decision, also mirrored by ESPN, was not an “axing,” sources close to Kyrgios insisted, claiming he prioritized playing over punditry, per Mirror. However, his fiery response suggested frustration, as he mocked Querrey, the 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist, whose TNT Sports French Open commentary lacked Kyrgios’ flair, per iNews.
Kyrgios’ 2024 BBC stint, alongside John McEnroe and Clare Balding, was praised for its insight but marred by his past, including sharing Andrew Tate’s misogynistic posts, per The Telegraph. X posts, like @Olly_Tennis_, noted his absence, while @marcomazz lamented his lost “diversity and talent,” per. Kyrgios’ dig at Querrey underscores his defiance, but his injury-plagued career—only five singles matches since 2022—leaves his future uncertain, per Nine.
