As in previous matches, Kyrgios seemed as much at war with himself and his surrounds as he did with his opponent. He clashed with the umpire, threw a racquet into the crowd and earned a code violation for swearing. After appearing to stop competing in the second set, Kyrgios was booed by spectators before mounting a comeback, in the end going down in four sets. Former Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser, interviewed on commercial television after the game, added to the controversy, saying she was shocked by Kyrgios's behaviour, and suggesting that if he did not want to set a better example for the younger generation he should "go back to where [his] parents came from".

For an athlete who stole a flag at the 1960 Tokyo Olympics and was subsequently suspended by the Australian Swimming Union, Ms Fraser's criticism smacked of the pot calling the kettle black. The comments were interpreted as racist, and Fraser's late afternoon withdrawal of them (having stood by them just a few hours ago), suggested her management, if not Fraser herself, accepted they were way out of line. Nevertheless, many people would have agreed with her broad points about Kyrgios's behaviour.

Kyrgios's youth is undoubtedly a factor in his quick-tempered court-side persona. It is a rare individual (let alone a professional athlete) who could claim to be the soul of discretion, tact and diplomacy at age 20. Then there is the nature of tennis itself, which almost uniquely in sport pits individual against individual . A singles player competing on his own in front of a large audience and making an unforced error which, but for a slight variance in how the ball was struck, might have been a winning shot can easily give rise to frustration and anger. A hatred or fear of losing, so frequently a positive psychological mindset in other sports, can also inflame a tennis player having a bad day on court, even to the extent of causing him or her to drop their bundle.

Tennis players rarely play well when angry: John McEnroe being an exception to this rule of thumb. For McEnroe, the anger was always the result of some injustice (a real or imagined bad line call, for example) that put him in the position of being a victim denied fairness and justice. Thus "justified", his anger became a source of motivation.

The realisation that anger and negativity in tennis is a destructive force has dawned on many a young player in years past. Bjorn Borg got past his tantrums (helped by his parents' decision to retire his racquet for a year when still a junior) to become a master of self-control. Andre Agassi outgrew his brattishness to become an exponent of almost zen-like calm. Many of Kyrgios's admirers - especially here in his home town - hope a similar transformation awaits him.