Kyrgios’ Outburst Lands Him $113,000 Fine and … Top-Ten US Open Odds?

• Nick Kyrgios was fined $113,000 for his tantrum at the Cincinnati Masters
• Kyrgios has won two titles this season
• He’s never been past the third round at the US Open

Nick Kyrgios is known as a talented tennis player on the ATP Tour but one who is often throwing temper tantrums. He threw another one this week in a loss at the Cincinnati Masters tournament. Kyrgios’ 2019 US Open odds now show that he’s in the Top 10. Is he worth a play or is it just wasted money on this volatile talent?

Odds to Win 2019 US Open

*Odds taken 08/15/19. 

Kyrgios Swears, Spits at Umpire

A Kyrgios performance always comes with the antics. Sometimes they’re entertaining, like when Kyrgios delivered Stefanos Tsitsipas a shoe on bended knee in the Citi Open semis when Tsitsipas was changing into a new pair. At the Cincinnati Masters, they were nothing short of disgusting.

Kyrgios had an issue with the umpire – as he does from time to time – and ended up not only swearing at him but spitting towards him too. During the meltdown, he also used a bathroom break as an opportunity to smash two of his rackets. As a result, he was fined for eight incidents, bringing the levy to a whopping $113,000.

He’s Capable of Winning

The challenge with Kyrgios is that he’s actually quite talented. He’s the No. 24 player in the world but when it comes to action on the hard courts, the Australian can win titles. He won the Citi Open in Washington two weeks ago and also won the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL event earlier in the year.

The challenge is that when he’s off, he’s really off. He’s 18-11 on the year but keep in mind that in his two tournament wins, he’s 11-0. In all other events, he’s 7-11. When he flames out, he flames out quickly. He hasn’t made it past his second match at 11 events this year.

Kyrgios Is a Wreck at Grand Slams

One of the main reasons I’d avoid Kyrgios at Grand Slams is because he’s been a train wreck at the most important events. He was bounced in the first round at the Australian Open this year and second round at Wimbledon. He’s made it past the fourth round just twice, losing in the quarters at the Aussie Open in 2015 and Wimbledon in 2014.

Since then, though, he’s lost in the fourth round or sooner in 18 straight grand slams. As far as the US Open goes, he’s never lasted beyond the third round.

Part of the problem is that he doesn’t do well against the elite players. He’s 5-4 in his last nine against Top 10 players but 20-30 in his last 50 against them. That gives you an idea that he’s just a coin flip. In the smaller events, where he doesn’t face the big boys, he can roll if he keeps it together. That doesn’t fly at grand slams.

What’s the Best Bet?

When you add it all up here, Kyrgios just isn’t a good bet at the US Open. He’s never played well there, he doesn’t do well in grand slams and he doesn’t play well against elite-level players. Is he worth betting in the right spot in the first or second round depending on the draw? Possibly. Is he worth a bet to win the US Open outright? Absolutely not.