Given the prim tone of the sport, genuine trash-talking is an unlikely sight in tennis. When Alexander Zverev visibly uttered “fuck” while starting down his vanquished opponent, fans in the gallery may have dropped their champagne flutes and lost their monocles due to violent eye-popping. That was fun, if rare, but you can still find some sporadic good banter, if you know where to look.
On Instagram, for example, find Nick Kyrgios, no stranger to misguided trash-talking, solidly owned by his good mate Andy Murray earlier today. Via Reddit:
Kyrgios solved Rafa, Roger, and Novak in his first try against each, but Murray is the only member of the Big Four he’s never beaten, despite five attempts—most recently the fourth round of Wimbledon 2016 that Andy references.
Murray’s comment was Nick’s second L within 24 hours. In Sunday’s Davis Cup action he fell to undersized Belgian David Goffin, playing his best tennis since his gruesome French Open ankle wreck. Goffin served the match of his life—notching a very Kyrgiosy 20 aces—and spanked plenty of backhands down the line to prevail in four sets, his first win over the Australian in four career meetings.
I do not speak the language that tweet’s written in, but I know just enough to recognize a mixed metaphor, and a very cool tennis shot.