Nick Kyrgios hits out at OLD RETIRED PLAYERS after Andy Roddick racket throwing video goes viral

Former world No.1 Andy Roddick has released a helpful video for tennis stars like Aussie firebrand Nick Kyrgios teaching them how to throw a tennis racket without hurting anyone – and Kyrgios has taken the advice on board.

Kyrgios was recently fined $20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and $5000 for an audible obscenity for his antics in his quarter-final loss to Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells.

Following the 7-6 (7-0) 5-7 6-4 defeat, Kyrgios hurled his racket and almost struck a ball boy. He later apologised and presented the ball boy with a new racket.

Kyrgios smashed a number of rackets in his Indian Wells quarter final loss to Rafa Nadal, with one incident seeing him almost strike a ball boy

Roddick pointed to that incident along with a string of recent offences in which tennis stars have lost their cool in his ‘educational’ video on how to throw a racket safely.

‘Hey, Andy Roddick here. There’s been a lot of controversy over the last month with Alexander Zverev breaking his racket into the umpire’s chair down in Mexico. Nick Kyrgios almost hitting a ball kid with a racket, obviously, Novak Djokovic firing a ball and unfortunately hitting an umpire’s throat a couple years ago at the US Open,’ he said in the video.

‘I’m going to save all the players a lot of drama and teach them how to throw a racquet without getting in trouble.

‘When throwing a racket it’s beneficial to throw it face down, so like this [Roddick proceeds to show how it’s done].

‘It doesn’t go anywhere, you’re not gonna hit anyone, it’ll land in a little circle of, like, four feet.’

While Kyrgios was willing to cop Roddick’s advice on the chin, he took aim at retired star Daniela Hantuchova and her recent comments about teenage star Emma Raducanu.

Andy Roddick shows current players how to safely throw a tennis racket by making sure it hits with the face parallel to the ground

‘What’s with old retired players giving their opinion on our stars now?’ Kyrgios Tweeted.

‘I love A-rod and I agree we all need to chill with the rackets and all that, but geezus, I read an article about a past female player talking about radacanu [sic], no offence but she is a far far bigger name already.’

Former world No.5 Hantuchova had earlier said that Raducanu was ‘losing the respect’ of her peers after a string of losses including her recent second-round exit at the Miami Open.

Teenage star Raducanu has come under fire for recent losses, but Kyrgios has questioned why retired players are taking pot shots at the US Open champion. 

‘That was a tough one for Emma. I think it is going to hurt big time because of the chances she had. She was the better player for most of it,’ Hantuchova said.

‘But the thing is now with Emma, everyone wants to beat her. Everyone is trying to figure out how to play against her.

‘All the locker-room respect she had after the US Open is now kind of going away which is a shame.’

Meanwhile Kyrgios has moved into the last 16 of the Miami Open after breezing past Italian Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4 in 61 minutes.

Commentator and former Wimbledon finalist Tim Henman praised Kyrgios for his composure on the court.

‘It was a really great performance, not only was his tennis of a really high standard, I thought mentally he kept his composure really well,’ he said.

‘It was mature, professional, calculated. He’ll be extremely pleased with his progress so far.’

Those comments come after Kyrgios’ infamous meltdown at Indian Wells in his quarter final loss to Rafa Nadal which saw him clap back at a heckler, involving Hollywood actor Ben Stiller and hurling his racket on multiple occasions.