“Play f***ing tennis”: Nick Kyrgios shakes off opponent’s jibe to claim win at US Open (VIDEO)

Controversial tennis ace Nick Kyrgios became embroiled in a back-and-forth argument with the umpire that eventually led his opponent Steve Johnson to ask when the Australian was going to “play f***ing tennis.”

Kyrgios started well to take the first set 6-3 with some superb tennis, and early in the second set joked to himself under his breath that “You could not have picked a more boring sport as a profession.”

But he became distracted by a woman in the crowd who was making the way to her seat.

The woman, who was in the Australian’s eyeline, clearly was taking too long for Kyrgios’ liking as he sarcastically asked her if she was OK.

It led to a conversation between the 28th seed and the umpire, who told him he couldn’t do much about it as he was focusing on the play on court. It led to a frustrated Kyrgios receiving a code violation for an “audible obscenity”.

But Kyrgios wasn’t the only one dropping expletives on court. When he resumed his argument with the official at 5-4 up in the second set, a frustrated Johnson asked when his controversial opponent was going to “play f***ing tennis”.

Kyrgios answered with a brilliant end to the set as he dominated the American in the tie-break to take the second set 7-6.

It put the always-watchable Aussie in pole position, and he didn’t relinquish his grip on the match as he claimed the third set to win 6-3, 7-6, 6-4.

Kyrgios will resume his championship against Frenchman Antoine Hoang in the second round, where more color and controversy is sure to resume at Flushing Meadow.