Tennis star Nick Kyrgios has apologized to the fan that he said was “drunk out of her mind” during his 2022 Wimbledon final loss to Novak Djokovic.
Furthermore, he has donated £20,000 ($22,800) to a charity of the woman’s choice after she launched a legal case against the 27-year-old well-known for his outbursts.
Kyrgios complained to the umpire during the loss against Djokovic and said that the fan was talking to him during points of what became a seventh career win for the Serb at the British Grand Slam in July.
“The one with the dress, the one who looks like she’s had about 700 drinks, bro!” Kyrgios explained, when trying to point the woman out to the umpire.
In the weeks that followed the final, the woman, Anna Palus, came forward and claimed that Kyrgios had defamed her through a “reckless and entirely baseless allegation”.
She launched legal action against Kyrgios in August, and clarified that she wasn’t looking to profit from the case by vowing to donate any damages to charity.
Kyrgios has now apologized in a statement, which was released to the British press by the Knight Temple Law firm which represented Palus before the weekend.
“I told the umpire that a fan, who I now know to be Anna Palus, was distracting me during the match, believing that she was drunk,” Kyrgios wrote.
“I accept that belief was mistaken, and I apologized.
“To make amends, I have donated 20,000 pounds to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, a charity chosen by Ms Palus. I will not be commenting on this matter again,” Kyrgios concluded.
Kyrgios has qualified for the ATP Finals next week with his doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.
On social media, however, he took a dig at the men’s tour when suggesting that their decision to strip Wimbledon of ranking points due to the Grand Slam banning Russian and Belarusian athletes cost him the chance to feature in the single’s event.
“Should of (sic) been in singles as well [but] no points at Wimbledon,” Kyrgios wrote in an Instagram Story. “First time in 53 years but we won’t speak of that.”
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