Eight controversial Nick Kyrgios moments

9:42 AM ET

Since joining the ATP ranks, Nick Kyrgios has never been too far from controversy. His racquet-smashing, on-court slurs and Twitter rants have branded him the modern day John McEnroe, minus the major success.

In the wake of his verbal attack on Australian tennis fans, ESPN has compiled a list of the top eight most infamous Kyrgios moments.

The almost disqualification (August, 2014)

Kyrgios’ 2014 US Open is remembered as the tournament he stunned Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, but trailing in our memory from that fortnight at Flushing Meadows, only just, was his round-one outburst. In his clash with Mikhail Youzhny, Kyrgios was handed three warnings for various instances of audible obscenities and racquet smashing. One more display of inappropriate conduct would have seen him disqualified. While he had certainly arrived as a future tennis star, it was clear this wasn’t going to be an isolated incident.

WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images

War of words with Stan Wawrinka (March, 2015)

The Australian delivered a controversial and downright ugly sledge during a match against fans’ favourite Stan Wawrinka at the 2015 Rogers Cup. Kyrgios’ suggestion that fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis had “banged your girlfriend,” came under severe scrutiny as tennis fans lashed out at him for his comments. The ATP fined Kyrgios US$10,000 — which would increase to US$25,000 for a second offence — as well as handing down a 28-day tour suspended sentence. The controversy also forced Kyrgios’ mother, Nill, to shut down her Twitter account after a raft of personal attacks.

So disappointing to see a fellow athlete and colleague be so disrespectful in a way I could never even imagine.

— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) August 13, 2015

Umpire abuse (June, 2015)

Inappropriate language has landed …

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