WimbleSpin, Day 9: Kyrgios gets combative with press after tanking accusations

WimbleSpin harbors this regal fortnight's latest off-court news.

KYRGIOS BEHAVIOUR "You can be a character, and you can be box office, but you don't do that," said one commentator of Nick Kygrios' lack of effort in returning serve Monday. It came with the Aussie down a set and 2-0 to Richard Gasquet in a fourth-round match:

Kyrgios would lose in four sets, notably rallying to take the third. His second challenge came in the press room, where media members asked him repeatedly about not trying in that particular game, during which fans booed and shouted "Come on!" at him.

To his credit, Gasquet refused to pillory Kyrgios, noting that his foe "made many mistakes" in that second set.

Kyrgios and chair umpire James Keothavong got into an argument after that particular return game when Kyrgios swapped out his socks on the changeover. "Richard, I'm just changing my socks!" the Aussie called out from his chair.

Gasquet himself got animated after blowing two match points and subsequently losing the third-set tiebreak. The sum of the scenes was worthy of 7 Days of Hell B-roll. In the end, it seemed all Kyrgios needed was a hug.

Elsewhere at the All England Club ...

MINI-WAR OF WORDS Dawn Fraser is a decorated Australian Olympic swimmer and, at age 77, an elder to Kyrgios and to Bernard Tomic. She also had choice words this fortnight, lashing out at Tennis Australia leaders and at her compatriots for their conduct at Wimbledon. Fraser said Kyrgios and Tomic "should be setting a better example." She added, "If they don't like it, go back to where their fathers or their parents came from." To the surprise of no one, Kyrgios had a response for that:

Nill Kyrgios, Nick's mother, had words as well.

After initially defending her statements, Fraser ultimately apologized directly to the Kyrgios clan and to those she may have offended.

TASTELESS?  Serena Williams doesn't quite know what to think or say about the "blackface" trend among Kyrgios fans, painting their faces with Vegemite and Nutella and snapping pictures sent to social media.

MEDIA BLUNDERS  Kyrgios may have been a bit hostile when he faced the press, but media members themselves did wrong with Caroline Wozniacki and Tomas Berdych after their fourth-round losses. Wozniacki was actually asked about ex-fiance and pro golfer Rory McIlroy's pickup-soccer injury. That's just plain rude, and that relationship is entirely in the rear-view mirror. Meanwhile, 2010 Wimbledon finalist Berdych was not amused when questioned about how it felt to reach the quarterfinals. (He didn't.)

SUPERFAN  Champion skier Lindsay Vonn visited Wimbledon and took in matches featuring her friends Wozniacki and Roger Federer. She also dished on her own tennis game ("not bad but not great") and spoke to her recent breakup with Tiger Woods, which saw the pair split "on good terms."

STREAKING  Marin Cilic quietly has a 26-0 record in recent matches played against Americans, the latest coming after his defeat of Denis Kudla in Wimbledon's fourth round. His last loss to a U.S. player came against James Blake in the 2008 Australian Open.

BROTHERLY LOB Murray brothers stick together and they never betray:

SPLITSVILLE  After exiting fairly meekly to Gasquet at Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov revealed that he and Roger Rasheed have ended their coach-player relationship. Rasheed took up with the erstwhile "Baby Federer" (a nickname that has never fit) in October 2013.

MUST READ  "Adventures in Wonderlawn: Living the Surreal Life at Wimbledon" by Louisa Thomas for Grantland.

Got a tip or a point to make? Hit me on Twitter at @jonscott9.