A Wimbledon fan has decided to sue Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios after the latter base baseless allegations in this year’s final at the SW19. Kyrgios had lost his cool during the final against Novak Djokovic at a fan accusing her of being ‘drunk out of her mind.’
The Australian tennis star had also told the chair umpire in angry outbursts that the woman looked ‘like she has had about 700 drinks.’
The woman, identified as Anna Palus, has instructed her lawyers to bring defamation proceedings against Kyrgios. Palus, according to the BBC, has accused Kyrgios of a ‘reckless and entirely baseless allegation.’
She said in a statement through her lawyers, “Not only did this cause considerable harm on the day, resulting in my temporary removal from the arena, but Mr Kyrgios’ false allegation was broadcast to and read by millions around the world, causing me and my family very substantial damage and distress.”
Kyrgios, who eventually lost the match, had complained to the chair umpire that a woman was distracting him. “She is distracting me when I am serving in a Wimbledon final… she is drunk out of her mind in the first row speaking to me in the middle of the game, so kick her out… I know which one she is, it’s the one who looks like she has had about 700 drinks… she is talking to me in the middle of the point every time I get the ball,” the Australian had said.
The woman’s identity was not known then, but she has now come forward to take legal action against the Aussie.
The UK has one of the toughest defamation laws in the world.