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Stefanos Tsitsipas says comments he made towards Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon in 2022 have been “misinterpreted” after they were perceived as racist on social media.<\/span><\/p>\n Greece’s Tsitsipas said the Australian’s approach to tennis was “uneducated” after he was knocked out in a <\/span>fiery third-round clash<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n He also said Kyrgios brought “that NBA basketball attitude” to tennis.<\/span><\/p>\n His remarks were shown in the new series of Netflix’s Break Point.<\/span><\/p>\n Tsitsipas, the current world number five, said there had been “an unfortunate misunderstanding that has a distorted picture of my intentions”.<\/span><\/p>\n “It has come to my attention that some individuals have misinterpreted my comments regarding Nick Kyrgios… insinuating racism where none exists,” Tsitsipas, 24, wrote on Facebook.<\/span><\/p>\n “I want to emphasise that I harbour no prejudice towards anyone based on their background, ethnicity, or interests. I deeply regret if my words were misinterpreted or caused offence, as that was never my intention.”<\/span><\/p>\n He added: “My previous remarks regarding Nick Kyrgios were not meant to undermine his intelligence or abilities. Instead, I simply intended to express my perspective on certain aspects of his playing style, drawing comparisons to the passion and intensity often associated with basketball. <\/span><\/p>\n “It was an attempt to highlight the dynamic and captivating nature of his approach to the game, not a criticism of his character or capabilities.”<\/span><\/p>\n Tsitsipas said he “deeply regrets” any hurt he may have caused and would be “more mindful” of his words and their impact in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n Kyrgios won the match 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (9-7) en route to reaching his first Grand Slam final, which he lost to Novak Djokovic.<\/span><\/p>\n In an incident-packed encounter, Kyrgios called for Tsitsipas to be defaulted after he hit a ball into the crowd upon losing the second set, narrowly missing a spectator.<\/span><\/p>\n The Australian had received a warning for an obscenity by then, while Tsitsipas was given a point penalty for a second code violation as he responded to an underarm serve by hitting the ball away in frustration.<\/span><\/p>\n After the match, Tsitsipas called Kyrgios a “bully” with “an evil side” while Kyrgios said Tsitsipas had “serious issues”.<\/span><\/p>\n Responding to Tsitsipas’ statement on Saturday, Kyrgios said: “It was a very heated battle. Sometimes as players we go into these press conferences without digesting the match. We’ve had some crazy battles and I know deep down you like my brand of tennis. We are all good.”<\/span><\/p>\n Kyrgios had knee surgery in January and his presence at Wimbledon, which starts on 3 July, remains in doubt after he pulled out of the Mallorca Open on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n