Nick Kyrgios-Boris Becker social media feud enters sixth day

Pull up, Ryan Murphy. We have ourselves a Feud.

(And neither peanuts nor potatoes are safe.)

Nick Kyrgios and Boris Becker have teamed up to entertain Tennis Twitter—Tennis X doesn’t quite roll off the keyboard—as their social media spat will shortly enter its second week.

How did the beef begin? Becker, former world No. 1 who ended the 2023 season with new coaching pupil Holger Rune, responded to comments Kyrgios made about the current state of the game as it compared to the 80s and 90s.

“The game was so slow back then,” he said in an exclusive interview with *The Athletic*, quotes from which surfaced online on December 12. “I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd,” he says. “A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 (km per hour—about 122mph). People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game.”

Becker was quick to respond on the 13th, calling out Kyrgios’ lack of Grand Slam hardware—though noting his 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles victory with countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis—and throwing shade at the Aussie’s partnership with OnlyFans.

“Nick makes a lot of noise about tennis lately!?! Why does he speak about a sport he apparently hates,” asks Becker of Kyrgios, who sat out most of the 2023 season due to a knee injury, and will be forced to miss the upcoming Australian Open due to an injured wrist.

Kyrgios, who made his Tennis Channel debut this fall as a Live Desk analyst, went off at length in the replies, calling out Becker’s run-in with the law—which led to him serving eight months in prison after a violation of the Insolvency Act—while attempting to clarify (more like double down on) his initial stance.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Novak would wipe the floor against you in your prime? Like it’s not an attack. It’s just facts,” ostensibly concludes the 2022 Wimbledon finalist.

But the feud had only just begun: Kyrgios went back and forth on the subject with numerous fans—including, wildly, the cousin of former House Minority Whip Steve Scalise—and was ready to keep things going with Becker when he spoke about the spat to Eurosport on December 18.

"We live in a democracy," Becker said. "Everyone can think what he wants. You have to have respect for the past and simply say 'thank you' out loud that these old pros existed, because without them the tennis circus would no longer exist.”

“Uhhh what?” replied Kyrgios the same day. “I’ve been arguably one of the most watched players outside the big three the last decade? Fans around the world and have brought so many more people to the sport. I’ve created my own stuff off the court. Try to not hide any more assets x”

Kyrgios later pointed to his star turn on Break Point as proof of his global popularity and ability to transcend the sport:

Continuing to argue his point—in his inimitably pugilistic style—against journalists like David Law and former players like Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Kyrgios appeared to have given his last word on the subject earlier on Tuesday.

“Not once have I taken ‘slams’ away from Becker, or any of these legends,” wrote the 28-year-old. Not once have I said I’ve impacted the game MORE. I’ve simply said that I’ve built my own brand and done it my way & brought fans. Apparently a slam finalist has no credibility. Night, done with this convo.”

And then, at last, a timeline cleanse: Kyrgios posing with his dog, Boo.

Might Kyrgios take this grudge into 2024 or will auld acquaintance be forgot?