Damaged net sensor replaced after Kyrgios’ second-round match
The clip that attaches a sensor to the net to determine a let serve was damaged during Nick Kyrgios’ drama-packed second round match on Wednesday night, prompting more debate about the effectiveness of technology at the Australian Open.
Kyrgios fumed more than once during the compelling victory, which set up a blockbuster third-round clash against Dominic Thiem. At one point he threatened to stop playing unless the let measuring device was turned off.
Nick Kyrgios was not happy with the technology during his win on Wednesday night.Credit:Eddie Jim
“The last time it happened he came back and served an ace, ” Woodbridge said.
“This is a crucial time, serving for the set – 30-all. What will happen?”
Kyrgios delivered another power serve down the middle and, again, the machine recorded a let.
A increasingly frustrated Kyrgios, using his hands to show a distance of about one foot, said to the umpire: “Turn it off, bro, it’s this far over the net.
“I’m not playing until you turn it off.“
The Australian, however, was able to go back and power another serve to the backhand of the left-handed Frenchman to win the point, creating a set point, and then he closed out the game on serve to level the match at one set all.
The scenes prompted more debate about the value of the let rule in tennis. Former player and ESPN analyst Rennae Stubbs said simply on Twitter on Wednesday night: “Get rid of the net cord rule”.
An Australian Open spokesperson confirmed that the clip used during Kyrgios’ match had been damaged, but it’s unclear at what point during the five-set match that happened.
“The clip that uses sensors to measure whether a player has served a let [the let measuring device] was inadvertently damaged during a match at John Cain Arena on Tuesday and has since been replaced,” they said.
Later, during his media conference, Kyrgios called for the technology to be reviewed, but supported the use of Hawkeye line-calling technology at Melbourne Park, which automatically decides whether a ball is in or out.
“Having technology like that you sound like an idiot trying to argue against it,” Kyrgios said of his exhange with the umpire.
“Insane that, like, even when he was serving, he served a ball that was literally about this far over the net and the net thing went off. I was, like, ‘there’s no chance this is accurate’.
“The line calling, look, we can’t do anything about that, because that’s for COVID reasons. That’s fair enough.”
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