Berlin (AFP)
World No.3 Dominic Thiem said on Monday that players need to learn from mistakes made during the Adria Tour and said Australian criticism of Nick Kyrgios on the subject was "not necessary".
"Some opinions, especially those from Australia, are really not necessary," Thiem told reporters at an exhibition tournament in Berlin.
The Austrian participated last month in the tournament organized by Novak Djokovic in Belgrade, during which the world No.1, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki were all tested positive for Covid-19.
Djokovic then apologized for the holding of the event, which had taken place in violation of any safety rule in front of several thousand supporters. The players had kissed over the net, played basketball and even danced in a nightclub in the Serbian capital.
Dominic Thiem did not contract the virus but, like all the players involved, had to face many criticisms.
On social networks, Nick Kyrgios did not refrain from lecturing the participants in the Adria Tour. The Australian volcanic has notably called "selfish" the German Alexander Zverev, seen at an evening when he had promised to spend 14 days in quarantine.
Thiem and Kyrgios then exchanged insults on the networks.
"Novak and the others have not committed any crimes, it must be said," said Thiem. "Being criticized was not unfair because we all made mistakes. It is clear (...) But it was too much in the end because the intentions (of the organizers) of the tournament were good."
"We must learn from our mistakes and be careful with this pandemic. This is what we must learn from the Adria Tour," he added.
© 2020 AFP