'He doesn't understand the point': Kyrgios hammers Thiem over refusal to give up money for lower-ranked players

Nick Kyrgios has fired back at Dominic Thiem after the Austrian world number three reacted with disdain to plans to provide a $5 million fund to help lower-ranked players mooted by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

“He still doesn’t understand the point,” said Kyrgios on his Instagram account after Thiem dismissed the scheme due to his belief that even less successful pros don’t need financial assistance during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We at the top get paid far too much and there is not enough to go around.”

The idea, spearheaded by world number one Djokovic, would benefit players outside the top 250 who have been unable to play competitive matches during the pandemic, seeing their salaries effectively stopped.

Despite usually being something of a divisive player, Kyrgios has stepped up to show his generous side during the past month, offering to personally deliver food and essential items to anyone in need who contacts him via social media.

However, despite a personal wealth estimated at $17 million, Thiem believes that, in terms of tennis pros at least, financial assistance should be worked for, saying: “I wouldn’t really see why I should give such players money.

"None of us top players got anything handed to us - we all had to fight our way up. I don’t have the guarantee in any job that I will do well and earn lots of money. That’s my opinion on the matter.”

That doesn’t sit well with Kyrgios however, who wrote: “It’s about helping where we can, professional or unprofessional, put yourself in their shoes.”