WATCH Nick Kyrgios denying he 'tanked' during Wimbledon 2015 fourth round defeat by Richard Gasquet

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Nick Kyrgios was accused of 'tanking' during his defeat by Richard Gasquet on Monday
The Australian bad boy appeared to stop trying in the second set, allowing serves to go past him
Kyrgios had a heated exchange with our man Charles Sale and fellow reporters afterwards
Asked for an explanation by Sportsmail, Kyrgios replied: 'Do you want to try to return Richard Gasquet's serve?'
The 20-year-old was given a code violation for an 'audible obscenity' by umpire James Keothavong
Kyrgios argued with Keothavong about changing his socks in the third set during a changeover
Australian Olympic swimming great Dawn Fraser was branded a 'blatant racist' by Kyrgios on Tuesday
READ: Nick Kyrgios brands former Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser 'a blatant racist'
Wimbledon 2015 day eight: Follow here as Djokovic, Anderson, Sharapova, Serena Williams and more feature

Published: 03:44 EST, 7 July 2015 | Updated: 07:15 EST, 7 July 2015

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Nick Kyrgios denied 'tanking' on Monday as he faced tough questions from Sportsmail's Charles Sale and other reporters following his defeat by Richard Gasquet after appearing to stop trying during the second set.

The 20-year-old was a set and a break down when he was given a code violation for an 'audible obscenity', before the world No 29 bizarrely seemed to concede points on purpose by not swinging at Gasquet's serves.

It led to boos and jeers from the crowd on Court No 2 and the bad boy of tennis could be slapped with a fine of $250,000 (£160,000) under official grand slam rules which demand: 'A player shall use his best efforts to win a match when competing.'

WHAT WAS SAID Scroll down to read the full transcript of what Nick Kyrgios had to say on allegations of 'tanking' at Wimbledon

Nick Kyrgios appeared to deliberately throw away points during his Wimbledon defeat by Richard Gasquet on Monday

Gasquet caused controversy on Court No 2 as the crowd booed and jeered the bad boy of tennis during his defeat by Gasquet

The Australian bad boy seemed to leave three of Gasquet's serves alone and appeared to be sulking on court

Kyrgios mutters to himself during his defeat by Gasquet but the 20-year-old faced tough questions from our man afterwards

The 20-year-old was playing in the second set when he appeared to deliberately leave Gasquet's serves alone (pictured at 15-0 and 30-0)

'Do you want to try returning Gasquet's serve?' Kyrgios asked Sportsmail's reporter during a heated press conference

Kyrgios was forced to deny the allegations that suggest he 'tanked' during his loss which knocked him out of Wimbledon

After the game in question had ended, Kyrgios sarcastically applauded British umpire James Keothavong as he walked past and also hugged a ball boy at the end of a point in the second set. He later argued with Keothavong over changing his socks during the third set.

Kyrgios, who split with his coach Todd Larkham the week before the Championships, was heavily criticised in the aftermath of his 7-5, 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (8-6) fourth-round loss to Gasquet, and could face retrospective punishment from the International Tennis Federation.

NICK KYRGIOS UP AGAINST SPORTSMAIL'S QUESTIONS

Kyrgios was quizzed by Sportsmail's Charles Sale and fellow reporters on Monday evening.

At one point, Kyrgios asks Sale: 'Do you want to try to return Richard Gasquet's serve? I'll give you a racket and we'll see how many times you can return his serve also.'

Kyrgios refused our repeated requests to give us a full explanation about his actions.

Charles Sale grilled Kyrgios afterwards

'Of course I tried,' Kyrgios said during his intense post-match press conference. 'There was a lot of ups and downs. It was a tough, tough time, especially when he's not missing any balls. I'm getting frustrated myself. I feel as if I'm playing not how I should be playing. I'm angry at myself.

'I don't think I was treated unfairly. If they decide to fine me they can fine me.'

Asked for a proper explanation by Sportsmail, Kyrgios replied: 'Do you want to try to return Richard Gasquet's serve? I'll give you a racket and we'll see how many times you can return his serve also.'

His defence was that Gasquet 'served too good', and an official moderator intervened as the Australian was grilled by our man. Asked whether he sees himself as the bad boy of tennis, he replied: 'Not at all, to be honest. Just because I show emotion on the court. I'm bad. So, whatever.'

At 15-0 to Gasquet, Kyrgios took a feeble swipe at the Frenchman's serve, and nonchalantly put his return into the net. He then allowed a delivery to pass him at 30-0 and relinquished the game by softly netting at 40-0 down.

Kyrgios repeatedly denied he deliberately gave away the third game of the second set, saying: '(It was) just frustration. It's tough out there.

'You know, I'm not perfect out there. I'm going to have ups and downs. That's the way you respond from that. I think it takes some serious balls to respond the way I did.

'I don't take much out of the tournament. I expected more out of myself. I feel like I've let people down. It's tough.'

Gasquet won the first set 7-5, and stormed through to take the second 6-1. Kyrgios then began to play the tennis he is capable of, only to throw away an opportunity to push it to a fifth set.

It was perfect revenge for Gasquet, who coughed up nine match points and a two-set lead before losing to Kyrgios in five sets in the second round last year.

During an extraordinary exchange with umpire Keothavong in the third set, Kyrgios told the official: 'I'm changing my socks. I've taken one pair off. I've got two on and I'm taking one pair off.'

After Keothavong replied to Kyrgios, he added: 'I'm staying on the court. If you're going to get angry with me for that, that's another level. Mate, Rafa [Nadal] and stuff play 30 seconds in between points every time and all I'm doing is putting my sock back on.'

Referring to his opponent Gasquet, Kyrgios said: 'I'm sure he'll understand. Do you wanna ask him?'

He then shouted from his chair to Gasquet on court: 'Richard, I'm just changing my socks.' As Gasquet raised no objections, Kyrgios added: 'Yeah he's fine. Unbelievable.'

Kyrgios vents his frustration as he sits back down during his controversial loss against Frenchman Gasquet

Kyrgios has been accused of 'tanking' during his clash at SW19 on Court No 2 with Gasquet by fans and pundits

The 20-year-old was a set and a break down when he was given a code violation for an 'audible obscenity' by umpire James Keothavong

Nick Kyrgios in argument with umpire over changing his socks

THE INTERNATIONAL TENNIS FEDERATION RULES WHICH COULD SEE KYRGIOS FACE A HEAVY FINE

International Tennis Federation rules state: 'A player shall use his best efforts to win a match when competing in a grand slam tournament. Violation of this section shall subject a player to a fine up to 20,000 US dollars (£12,860) for each violation.'

Additionally, the rules state: 'In circumstances that are flagrant and particularly injurious to the success of a tournament, or are singularly egregious, a single violation ... shall also constitute the major offence of "aggravated behaviour" and shall be subject to the additional penalties hereinafter set forth therefore.' That allows the ITF to impose a penalty of 250,000 US dollars (£160,000).

Andy Murray, meanwhile, urged Kyrgios to continue being himself.

'The most important thing is to try to be yourself,' Murray said when asked about Kyrgios's behaviour. 'I don't think people always appreciate how difficult it is to grow up under the spotlight, how difficult it is to have loads of people expecting you to be perfect from a young age.

'I like Nick. I've spoken to him away from the court. He's quite different to how he is on it.' Murray added: 'It's not easy. He'll find his way, for sure.

'But he'll hopefully have good people around him that can help him, people that have experienced being on the tour. Guys like Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter and these guys will be able to help with that. It's important to listen to them, I would say.'

Australian Olympic swimming great Dawn Fraser was branded a 'blatant racist' by Kyrgios on Tuesday morning after she said players should 'go back to where their parents came from' if they cannot play by the rules.

Kyrgios hugs a ball boy during his match against Gasquet before he was grilled during the post-match press conference

Kyrgios later argued with British umpire Keothavong over a change of socks during the third set

Kyrgios had a heated exchange with reporters who wanted a full explanation of why he appeared to give up on points

Kyrgios was heavily criticised in the aftermath of his 7-5, 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (8-6) fourth-round loss to Gasquet

Kyrgios has a Greek father and a Malaysian mother and, following his defeat by Gasquet, Fraser said: 'It's absolutely disgusting. I am so shocked to think that he went out there to play and he tanked, he did all that tanking, that's terrible.'

Fraser, 77, also discussed Bernard Tomic, an Australian who was born in Germany with a Croatian father and Bosnian mother. Tomic accused Tennis Australia of forgetting about him after his hip surgery last year as he will be missing from their Davis Cup tie against Kazakhstan later this month.

Fraser continued: 'They should be setting a better example for the younger generation of this country, a great country of ours. If they don't like it, go back to where their fathers or their parents came from. We don't need them here in this country if they act like that.'

Kyrgios linked to Fraser's interview on his Facebook page and responded: 'Throwing a racket, brat. Debating the rules, disrespectful. Frustrated when competing, spoilt. Showing emotion, arrogant. Blatant racist, Australian legend.'

Australian Olympic swimming great Dawn Fraser (left) was branded a 'blatant racist' by Kyrgios on Tuesday morning after her comments

Swimming legend Dawn Fraser 'racist' attack on Nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios had a controversial campaign at Wimbledon as he got into trouble more than once at SW19 before being knocked out

Earlier in the week, Kyrgios had a run-in with Wimbledon officials after climbing a railing outside Court 14 to watch Lleyton Hewitt and Thanasi Kokkinakis in their doubles match against Finnish Henri Kontinen and Croatian Marin Draganja, which they won 6-7 (6-8), 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, 8-6.

Wearing pink headphones, Kyrgios ignored the rule which bans anyone from peering over the walls so they do not distract the players on court.

Kyrgios was told by a Wimbledon official to get down because he was posing a 'health and safety risk'. He obliged, before reportedly climbing back up again after the official had walked away.

Australian tennis star Kyrgios was snapped by a fan at Wimbledon climbing onto a fence for a better view of the action

TRANSCRIPT OF THE EXCHANGE WITH NICK KYRGIOS DURING THE HEATED PRESS CONFERENCE

Q: A subject from the second set. It seemed to us you stopped trying for a game. You weren't returning shots. You weren't going for the shots. Can you explain what happened, in your words?

NK: I mean, today, there was a lot of ups and downs. Obviously, you know, it was a tough, tough time, especially when, you know, he's not missing any balls. I'm getting frustrated myself. I feel as if I'm playing not how I should be playing. I'm angry at myself. Obviously I wasn't really happy with the way I was performing out there. I obviously lacked a bit of energy. I thought I responded well, though, to even come back and win the third set. Obviously 6-4 in the fourth set serving.

Q: So you're not denying that you stopped for that game?

NK: Denying what?

Q: You're denying that you stopped playing that game in the second set?

NK: I kept playing.

Q: For that moment, you weren't returning.

NK: And that's coming from you? That's your opinion.

WIMBLEDON OFFICIAL: Next question.

Q: I was going to ask you about the same moment. What happened after that code violation? What happened in the next game?

NK: Just frustration. I mean, it's tough out there. You know, I don't really know what else to say. You know, I'm not perfect out there. I'm going to have ups and downs. That's the way you respond from that. I think it takes some serious balls to respond the way I did.

Q: Did the crowd misjudge you when they started booing? I heard the booing from the crowd at that moment.

NK: Yeah, and then I started playing well and they started cheering. Did you hear that, too?

Q: Yes I did.

NK: That's OK.

Q: It's rare to hear that at Wimbledon.

NK: OK.

Q: Can you give a proper explanation why you didn't return those serves? It looked like you were tanking the set. A proper explanation, please.

NK: What's the question?

Q: You didn't return the serves. It looked like you weren't trying which is very unusual at Wimbledon.

NK: Do you want to try to return Richard Gasquet's serve? I'll give you a racket and we'll see how many times you can return his serve also.

Q: You're a professional tennis player. I'm not.

NK: OK. He served too good.

Q: So you didn't even try to return. You walked away on a couple occasions.

WIMBLEDON OFFICIAL: We're going to take two questions at a time.

Q: A proper explanation as to why you didn't return the serve.

NK: How many aces did he hit that game? One? That game, did he hit one ace?

Q: Is that an explanation?

NK: Did he hit one ace? I'm asking you the question.

Q: I don't know.

WIMBLEDON OFFICIAL: The lady over in the corner.

Q: Nick, do you want to deny it?

NK: No.

Q: You don't want to deny it, deny the accusation?

NK: Deny what?

Q: The accusation being put forward that you didn't try that game in the second set.

NK: No, of course, I tried.

Q: That game you're saying you tried?

NK: He hit a serve past me as an ace. That's too good. That's too good.

Q: It looked like you didn't move.

NK: I did move.

WIMBLEDON OFFICIAL: Can I just say, I said at the start, we're going to do hands up and take two questions per person. It's going to be very difficult to organise this for 15 minutes if everybody keeps asking a number of questions.

Q: What do you think of this idea that you are the bad boy of tennis? Is that how you see yourself?

NK: Not at all, to be honest. Just because I show emotion on the court. I'm bad. So, whatever.