Tennis

Wimbledon fan accused by Kyrgios of looking like they had ‘had 700 drinks’ begins legal action

Nick Kyrgios is separately facing a criminal charge in Australia for common assault

Nick Kyrgios has seen his court date pushed back six weeks. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Haroon Siddique
Tue Aug 23 2022 - 15:34

A woman who was accused by Nick Kyrgios of being drunk and distracting him during the Wimbledon men’s final in July is threatening to sue the Australian for defamation.

Anna Palus, a Polish lawyer was temporarily removed from Centre Court after Kyrgios’s outburst, which she said contained “a reckless and entirely baseless allegation against me”.

Kyrgios, who went on to lose the final to Novak Djokovic, told the umpire, Renaud Lichtenstein: “She’s distracting me when I’m serving in Wimbledon final. There’s no other bigger occasion. You didn’t believe me and then she’s did it again, it nearly cost me the game. Why’s she still here? She’s drunk out of her mind … speaking to me in the middle of the game, what’s acceptable?”

When Lichtenstein said he did not know who Kyrgios was referring to, the player said: “I know exactly which one it is, it’s the one with the dress, the one who looks like she’s had about 700 drinks bro.”

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Palus, who was escorted out before being allowed to return, said after the match that she had consumed only two drinks and had been encouraging Kyrgios.

On Tuesday, she said she had attended the final with her mother and had been looking forward to it for some time. “During the course of the final, Nick Kyrgios made a reckless and entirely baseless allegation against me,” she said.

“Not only did this cause considerable harm on the day, resulting in my temporary removal from the arena, but Mr Kyrgios’s false allegation was broadcast to, and read by, millions around the world, causing me and my family very substantial damage and distress.

“I am not litigious, but after much consideration, I have concluded that I have no alternative but to instruct my solicitors Brett Wilson LLP to bring defamation proceedings against Mr Kyrgios in order to clear my name. The need to obtain vindication, and to prevent repetition of the allegation, are the only reasons for taking legal action.”

She said that any damages recovered would be donated to charity and that she was prepared to go to the high court if Kyrgios did not offer “a prompt resolution to this matter”.

Palus was allowed back during the final after being given water. In the immediate aftermath of the match, she told the Sun: “He [Kyrgios] always says the crowd is against him and I wanted to show we were for him, I wanted to encourage him.

“I only had one Pimm’s and one rosé. It’s the temperature for me, I had no hat. I’m really sorry.”

Kyrgios is separately facing a criminal charge in Australia for common assault. At a hearing at the Australian capital territory magistrates court on Tuesday, the case was adjourned until October 4th after the magistrate rejected a request by Kyrgios’s lawyer that it be delayed until November 25th. - Guardian

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022

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