Nick Kyrgios has appeared unbothered amid allegations that he assaulted his ex-girlfriend — but one morning host believes it’s all an act.
The 27-year-old Australian tennis star was all smiles while kissing his current girlfriend Costeen Hatzi hours before he beat Chile’s Cristian Garin on Wednesday at Wimbledon. However, Australian TV presenter Tony Jones said he believes the kissing scene was a “stage managed” stunt.
“It was going to be interesting to see from the moment he arrived here at Wimbledon today, just how he would actually react to the stories and the renewed media attention,” Jones said while reporting from the All England Club.
“This is uncharted waters for him, as well of course. So he arrived at the practice courts. Look, you can see it was stage managed if you want to be completely cynical about it. He was hand in hand with his girlfriend. He couldn’t have been more charming to everyone around him, getting selfies.”
Nick Kyrgios with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi during Wimbledon practice. REUTERSKyrgios was seen kissing 22-year-old Hatzi — a Sydney-based blogger and social media influencer — on the side of the court during a practice session, before the couple exited holding hands.
The Aussie was also seen laughing with his entourage as cameras followed him out of a practice, in which Kyrgios said he felt like he was in “The Last Dance” — an ESPN docuseries that followed Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls.
“Instead of getting to the furthest practice court, he wanted one closest to the cameras. He gave his girlfriend a kiss, and you thought, ‘OK, he’s in a pretty good frame of mind,'” Jones said.
Nick Kyrgios celebrates his quarterfinal Wimbledon win over Christian Garin. REUTERSHatzi also took to her Instagram Story to share photos of the couple kissing before his victory against Garin to set up a semifinals showdown against Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard won a grueling five-set match against Taylor Fritz on Wednesday, winning 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in four hours and 20 minutes, while playing through an abdominal injury.
On Tuesday, news.com.au reported that Kyrgios has been charged with assaulting ex Chiara Passari, stemming from an alleged December 2021 incident. Kyrgios is due in court in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 2 and could face two years in prison if he is found guilty.
“I have a lot of thoughts and things I want to say, my side of it. But I’ve been advised by my lawyers that I can’t say anything about it at this time,” Kyrgios said in his post-match press conference.
Nick Kyrgios with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi during Wimbledon practice. REUTERS
Nick Kyrgios with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi during Wimbledon practice. REUTERSKyrgios was asked how the allegations affected him during one of the biggest matches of his career.
“It didn’t really affect me at all, to be honest with you,” he said. “Obviously seeing it … I’m only human. Obviously I read about it and everybody else was asking questions. It was hard to focus on the mission at hand (which) was the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
“I know deep down that’s what I was prepared for (and) it didn’t really affect my preparation at all. I knew I would stay true to myself and give my best performance today.”
Passari addressed the situation for the first time this week, responding to a comment of support on Instagram.
Nick Kyrgios celebrates his quarterfinal Wimbledon win over Christian Garin. AFP via Getty Images
Nick Kyrgios with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi during Wimbledon practice. Getty Images“Thank you. Finally someone smart enough to understand how the justice system works,” she wrote.
Hatzi, meanwhile, has been wearing a diamond on her left ring finger in recent months. According to news.com.au, Kyrgios — who has Hatzi’s first name tattooed on his left thigh — told his Instagram followers the wedding will be happening “very soon.”






