It took Roger Federer three hours and 10 minutes to edge out Nick Kyrgios 7-6(9), 6-7(9), 7-6(5) in the Miami Open semi-final on Friday. Federer’s on-court brilliance was, however, marred by his wife Mirka’s unsporting attitude in the initial moments of the second set.
In the fourth game of the second set, with Federer serving at 1-2 (on serve), Kyrgios went to change his racquet right before the Swiss could serve. While larger swathes of the crowd jeered at the Australian’s actions, Mirka too joined in to heckle the 21-year-old.
The 39-year-old was seen mockingly whistling at Kyrgios, although the Australian did not seem to have noticed, or reported her actions to the chair umpire.
This is not the first time that Mirka Federer has behaved impolitely. In 2014, during the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals between Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, she was heard calling the latter a “cry baby”.
Back then, Wawrinka had complained about her misconduct to the chair umpire, before sorting it out with his compatriot after the match, which Federer won.
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