Laver Cup 2021 - 'Not the best advert' - Stefanos Tsitsipas' shoe shreds as Nick Kyrgios laughs at delay
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Published 25/09/2021 at 18:53 GMT
Tsitsipas found that his shoe had been wrecked as a result of the constant pounding from the groundstrokes on the indoor surface and he suddenly had to change it midway through a service game at 15-15. Kyrgios laughed and shook his head at the delay - no doubt in reference to the now infamous bathroom break debate from the US Open when the Greek upset Andy Murray for taking too long.
'Not the best advert' - Tsitsipas' shoe 'shreds' as Kyrgios laughs at delay
There was a lengthy delay during Stefanos Tsitsipas' match against Nick Kyrgios at the Laver Cup after the Greek's shoe shredded and he had to replace it.
The incident occurred in the fourth game of the second set after the 23-year-old won the opening set in convincing fashion, 6-3, and an extended interruption ensued at TD Garden in Boston.
Tsitsipas found that his shoe had been wrecked as a result of the constant pounding from the groundstrokes on the indoor surface and he suddenly had to change it midway through the service game at 15-15.
Kyrgios laughed and shook his head at the delay - no doubt in reference to the now infamous bathroom break debate from the US Open when the Greek upset Andy Murray over taking very long trips to the facilities at Flushing Meadows.
Eventually, Tsitsipas managed to sort the issue by simply replacing his shoes - but not before he had to spend several minutes putting new laces on his replacement footwear.
Eurosport commentator Chris Bradnam said: "It's not the best advert for the shoe - look at it! It's absolutely battle weary after the amount they slip and slide around.
"I wonder if Kyrgios is tempted to say something like, 'Is this going to take about eight minutes? What's going on here?!'"
Kyrgios used the delay to convene with his team-mates and Team World captain, John McEnroe, before play eventually resumed in the second set, and Tsitsipas went on to close out a straight-sets win.
While having shoes suddenly collapse was clearly not Tsitsipas' fault, Team World clearly enjoyed taking the opportunity to joke about it in their huddle after the debates from New York.
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The Greek's stoppages riled Murray after they met at the US Open, and when speaking to the assembled media after the 2-6 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 epic, he detailed the reasons for his dissatisfaction.
"It's not so much leaving the court, it's the amount of time,” Murray said. “I spoke to my team before the match about it and said to expect that, prepare for it if things were not going his way. So I was trying to do that.
“But the issue is that you cannot stop the way that that affects you physically. When you’re playing a brutal match like that, you know, stopping for seven, eight minutes, you do cool down.
"I don’t believe it was causing him any issue at all. The match went on for another two- and a-bit hours after that or something. He was fine, moving great I thought.
"Every single time it was before my serve, as well. Also in the fourth set when I had 0-30, he chose to go and I think he changed his racket. It can't be coincidence that it's happening at those moments.”
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You can watch the Laver Cup live on Eurosport 1, eurosport.co.uk and via the Eurosport app. Download the Eurosport app for iOS and Android now to get yourself all set for the action from Boston.
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