Tennis hothead Nick Kyrgios has been left 'distraught' by his latest fine and ban, the head of the ATP Tour has claimed.
Australian Kyrgios was fined $25,000 by the ATP and hit with an eight-week suspension -- reduced to three if he sees a sports psychologist -- after he appeared to give up in his second round match at the Shanghai Masters last week.
The 21-year-old was seemingly unconcerned on Sunday as he tweeted a series of celebratory emojis, but then offered his apologies via a statement in which he admitted there was "no excuse" for his behaviour.
🍾🍾🍾🍾🍷🍷🍷🍻🍻🍸🍸🚬🚬🚬
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) October 16, 2016
Now ATP chief Chris Kermode has affirmed Kyrgios' contrition but warned the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist must grow out of the "immaturity" that has plagued his fledgling career.
"He was distraught about how he behaved," Kermode told the Daily Mail. "He is a young athlete with a huge amount of talent for whom the spotlight is sometimes too much.
"The saddest part is that to the outside world it comes across that he doesn't care. But it's actually a defence mechanism to deal with the situation. He needs to channel that. A lot of it is immaturity but you learn through experience.
"We took the view he needed to be suspended and there is also an obligation not to be just the policeman but to try and help as well."
