‘Get a job': Nick Kyrgios' ugly feud with American tennis journalist intensifies
The Aussie may not be playing at Wimbledon this year and was not retained by the BBC as a commentator but that hasn't stopped him from making headlines.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Last week it was revealed that the former World No. 13 has partnered up with Rachel Starr and fellow adult actor Sophie Stonehouse for brand new OnlyFans content, a series titled Smash City.
Although the name may hint at spicy content it is anything but, with the four-episode show for OnlyFans TV a pickleball-based competition that sees eight OnlyFans creators compete for $20,000.
However, away from his new venture, Kyrgios continues to take swipes at Rothenburg, most recently appearing to make fun of the journalist's physique.
It all began when the popular tennis fan page 'Tennis Centel' posted a picture of the American journalist captured from behind on Sunday captioned: 'Bro Ben Rothenberg is built like a groundhog LMAO.'
As the post gained traction, Kyrgios stuck the boot in, retweeting the post and writing 'Tennis central'
But tennis fans were not amused, quickly denouncing his behaviour.
'Bully and nothing else. Just sad I used to support you,' one person commented.
'Fat shaming? Classy as ever…,' another added.
While others wrote 'I used to admire you' and 'Dude you're 30, grow up'.
In response to Kygious, Rothenberg wrote on X: 'Bro you have tweeted about me four times already this month and it's only July 6th. Let's work on getting you a job again.'
But the Aussie couldn't help but to clap back again writing: 'Awwww Benny I'm doing just fine. Someone's feelings are hurting …. Not so fun anymore is it?'
It is just the latest chapter in a bubbling feud between the pair spanning close to five years but has heated up in the last two years.
The American journalist has repeatedly called for Kyrgios to be pulled from the air, most recently for controversial tweets demeaning a WTA player.
'Honestly a bit surprised to see ESPN didn't yank Nick Kyrgios off air mid-#USOpen final, seeing his most recent disparaging tweet about a WTA player circulating,' Rothenberg wrote last year during the US Open.
'Given his history of demeaning women, women's tennis, and WTA players, it was already a dubious choice to have him.'
While Kyrgios remains sidelined through a recurring wrist injury, the 30-year-old has been doing work for TalkSport and continuing his commentary career on his YouTube podcast 'Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios'.
He was, however, snubbed by the BBC for Wimbledon coverage this year, after being a shock inclusion in the commentary box at the All England Club last year.
Responding to being overlooked he told The Guardian last month: 'I know I'm a great commentator. All I've done for 20 years is play, study and breathe this sport.
'I also think tennis needs commentators who say things that not everyone says.
'I understand they've got Chris Eubanks, but he hasn't beaten the greatest of all time multiple times.
'When someone's beaten Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic and has incredible insights, it's very strange you wouldn't want that person adding knowledge to tennis fans'.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

News.com.au
26 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘A bit too much': Willie Rioli's shock revelation after threat ban fallout
Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has revealed he almost quit the game after being caught sending threats to opposition players but he's stayed to continue to champion the cause of indigenous players. Rioli was suspended for a game in May and hit with fines after revelations of a social media threat to Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale with a further two instances of similar aggression to opponents coming to light. He earned support from Port chairman, David Koch, who suggestion Rioli was subjected to 'culturally insensitive' remarks, which was shot down by the Bulldogs in a war of words between the two clubs. It was putting Port in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, and the fallout from the incident moved Rioli to contemplate walking away. 'Definitely it gets to a point where it's a bit too much sometimes,' Rioli told Port's club podcast, Peeled. 'And yeah I have spoken to my manager and the club a couple of times about walking away from the game, which I am not shy to talk about. 'More so ... trying to not be putting any more pressure on the club. Get them out of the spotlight as well, in terms of not have to deal with my issues so much as a person off-field.' Remarkably, Rioli even said he took a 'bit of the blame' for a drop off in indigenous player numbers, a feeling dating back to copping an 18-month suspension for tampering with his marijuana-tainted urine sample while at West Coast. 'I do hold a bit of blame myself a little bit for some of the stuff I have been through, in terms of clubs not trusting Indigenous players,' he said, declaring righting that wrong, and improving perceptions was why he's still playing. 'I felt that was my driver to come back to footy ... be the light in terms of 'we can go through this'. 'I look at the drop in terms of Indigenous players in the competition ... that gives me the motivation to stick around longer, to help the next generation do better than what we are doing or what I am doing. 'I want the next (Indigenous) generation to be better than what we are right now. 'And I want them to have their confidence to make mistakes and not be judged by their mistakes.'

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Billy Brownless targeted by social media trolls over anniversary post
Billy Brownless has found himself the target of social media trolls as the AFL icon celebrated his one year anniversary with partner Crystle Fleur. The 198-game Geelong Cats star was soaking up the bubbling romance, but a post on social media quickly took an ugly turn. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Fleur, 52, took to social media to gush about Brownless, 58, and hinted at what may be in store for the couple. 'Happy 1st anniversary to this amazing man!' Fleur captioned the upload. '365 days of love, laughter and amazing adventures as we fly off to start the biggest one yet.' And while the post received a flood of support from friends, the nasty comments quickly began to pour in. One commenter wrote: 'Money can buy u happiness.' A second posted: 'And I thought Bradman batted way above his average.' A third added: 'Gary Lyon somewhere lurking looking to swoop in at any given opportunity.' Another wrote: 'Punching above your weight there big man.' Several however came to the defence of Brownless and took aim at the trolls trying to dampen the happiness of the couple. A fed up commenter wrote: 'I can't believe some of the comments on this! People are gross, and likely just jealous of you guys (or unhappy in their own sh*tty lives). You both look very happy. Congrats on 1 year, & many more to come!' Former AFL player Dale Thomas wrote: 'Congrat guys' alongside the raising hands emoji. Brownless and Fleur went public with their relationship in October last year at Geelong's best and fairest night. The then 57-year-old Cats Hall of Famer was seen arm in arm with the 52-year-old mum of three with the two being sighted at a plethora of events since. The pair had reportedly been going strong for two months before their first public outing. The happy couple were spotted after the AFL Grand Final speaking with his ex-wife Nicky Brownless and former best mate and Melbourne great Garry Lyon. Brownless and Nicky were together for 18 years before splitting in 2014. In 2016 Lyon's friendship with Brownless fell apart after he went public with Nicky. A month after their relationship made headlines, Billy revealed how the relationship had impacted his family, saying 'a good mate wouldn't do that'. 'I couldn't believe it. I found out three or four months ago. I asked Garry and Nicky earlier on what is going on and they said they were just good friends,' he said on the Footy Show at the time. 'That's what hurts the most.' The former best mates have since reunited with the duo spending several Christmases together as an extended family. Lyon surprised Nicky in December, 2023 when he proposed and she said yes. Nicky clearly wasn't expecting the move, announcing the news of the engagement on her Instagram account, posting a black and white photo of the pair embracing with the caption 'the best surprise'. The duo, who have been together for eight years, took off to New York shortly after the proposal.

ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
North Burnett Regional Council hands down Queenland's biggest rate increase
A Queensland council has blamed spiralling costs and stagnant growth for a record rate increase. The financially struggling North Burnett Regional Council raised general rates by 25 per cent in its $69-million, 2025-26 budget delivered on Monday morning, surpassing Townsville City Council's recent 20 per cent increase for some owner-occupiers. All separate charges, such as sewerage, water and waste, as well as and levies for local disasters, natural resource and landfill management have increased by 19 per cent. Mayor Les Hotz said the increase – which would amount to more than $800 per year for residential ratepayers – was necessary to pay for council's utilities and services without relying on additional government grants. He said the added revenue from the increased rates and fees would shave about $2.6m off the council's deficit and bring it down to about $8m at the end of this financial year. "We're just trying to meet the costs without having to reach out and ask our state and federal government to assist," he said. "I'm sympathetic toward the the ratepayer that is struggling, the pensioner and those that do not have work. Pensioner Colin Boot was in the public gallery for the budget meeting at Gayndah Community Hall. The 81-year-old Gayndah resident said he would have to cut down on other expenses. "I just can't see where we're going to get that extra money … the only thing I can see is [cancelling] insurance," Mr Boot said. "Ten per cent — we would have coped with it somehow, but 25 per cent?" Resident and former councillor Dael Giddens said families would likely cut back on after-school activities. "You might have had the kids playing cricket and soccer and doing swimming," she said. The North Burnett region is one of the largest in the state, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres and a total of more than 4,800km of sealed and unsealed roads owned by the council and the state government. Chief executive Craig Matheson said council's approach to the budget was guided by previous community consultation that "unequivocally showed" that residents wanted existing services retained. "It was a challenge, but we knew without a doubt what the community wanted," he said. Mr Matheson said costs had increased by 10 per cent in recent years but the ratepayer base of 6,323 properties had only grown by one per cent in the last decade. First-term councillor Trina Vaughn voted against the budget because of the added burden it would place on ratepayers already struggling with the cost of living. "I've spoken with people who are going without medication because they just can't make ends meet," she said. "It's definitely a problem that has been imposed on us by the current climate and it's not just a North Burnett Regional Council problem — it is Australia-wide." Deputy Mayor Melinda Jones voted against the budget but was in favour of raising fees and charges. "We've weathered fires and floods and now we need to weather something else — the cost of catching up," she said. The budget's long-term forecast indicates that the council's cash reserves will dwindle to less than one month's operating expenditure before rising above the target of four months by 2032-33. Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) chief executive Alison Smith said the rate increase showed councils had "reached a tipping point" beyond which they could no longer pay for community services.