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Nick Kyrgios insists that the recent Laver Cup debate over whether the tournament should be considered more of a competition or an exhibition is “the beauty of it” as he waded in on the divisive argument. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Gael Monfils got into an intense on-court spat on the opening night of the tournament that prompted a discussion over how serious the players are taking it.
During Auger-Aliassime’s 6-4, 6-3 Friday night win over Monfils, the Team World star felt that he was being mocked by his opponent which led to some verbal sparring between the pair on the sidelines. “If I don’t want to play a tournament, I don’t play it,” a frustrated Monfils told his Team Europe team-mates. “They told me I can be free. I’m here to have fun.”
With Auger-Aliassime only a few yards away between points, he was perplexed by his opponent’s revelation and asked Ben Shelton: “What have the people that brought him here told him?”
After his victory, Auger-Aliassime further explained the disagreement that prompted waves of comments over whether the Laver Cup should be considered a serious tournament or more of an exhibition event.
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“At the end of the day, the goal is to get through and win,” he said. “I take all matches seriously and want to compete and win and have fun doing it. It’s competition. Things got a little bit heated in the moment with tension.
“I think the Laver Cup has the potential to be taken very seriously, not just now but also in the future. We’re just taking this seriously and things got heated for a couple of games.”
As fans on social media discussed how the competition should be treated, Kyrgios took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and gave his view: “And this is the beauty of it!!! You see the contrast in players, personality and game styles…..
“I’ve been around FAA he is one of the most professional players ever, I remember him taking notes on the sideline one year, then you have La monf….. entertainer… epic. LETS GO!!!!!”
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Monfils had his say on the matter in a statement he released on X, hitting back at the suggestion that he was not taking the Laver Cup seriously. “I am tired of these incessant and futile controversies. Some people seem to get excited over trifles,” Monfils wrote.
“I am annoyed by those who make hasty judgments. Some might think that because I smile and have fun, I’m not serious. Sure, my vision may be different, but I always strive to follow the guidelines given to me.
“At 37, I just try to make the most of every moment. When I was asked to participate in the Laver Cup, I was honoured. With my current ranking, outside the top 100 at this age, I even thought it was a joke.
“But I take this opportunity very seriously, for the event, for my team and especially for me.”
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