Nick Kyrgios hit back at Dominic Thiem after the latter, in his defense of Alexander Zverev, said that the Australian tennis player should “come clean” over the mistakes he has made in his career.

Austrian world No 3 Thiem said recently that the criticism driven towards Zverev and Novak Djokovic for the Adria Tour fiasco was uncalled-for.

Both Zverev and Djokovic have faced plenty of heat over the past month for their participation in the Adria Tour, which flouted nearly every health safety protocol to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and led to several players testing positive.

To make matters worse, Zverev, despite apologising and promising to self-isolate, was seen partying in a crowded bar soon after.

Don’t understand why everyone is getting involved: Thiem defends Djokovic, Zverev for Adria Tour

One of the most vocal critics of everyone who was a part of the Adria Tour has been Kyrgios. The Aussie hothead, who has made several headlines over the years for indiscipline on court, hasn’t held back while pointing out the mistakes made by Djokovic and Co.

Thiem, however, reckoned that the criticism by Kyrgios was not needed and that he should first own up to his own mistakes.

“I don’t like the way people criticize him [Zverev]. He is treated as if he were an elementary school child. But he’s a 23-year-old man. Sure, he made a mistake – but I don’t understand why everyone is getting involved. Kyrgios did a lot of mistakes himself. It would be better for him to come clean instead of criticising others,” Thiem told Tiroler Tageszeitung, a German-language newspaper in Austria.

Questions facing Djokovic and tennis: What next after ill-fated Adria Tour, positive Covid-19 tests?

Not one to take things lying down, Kyrgios responded with some sharp remarks on Twitter for Thiem, Zverev and Djokovic.

“What are you talking about @ThiemDomi? Mistakes like smashing rackets? Swearing? Tanking a few matches here or there? Which everyone does? None of you have the intellectual level to even understand where I’m coming from. I’m trying to hold them accountable,” wrote Kyrgios.

“This just shows what a joke @ThiemDomi @AlexZverev & @DjokerNole think this is, 2 of them partying like potato’s during a global pandemic. People losing lives, loved ones and friends, and then Thiem standing up for the ‘mistakes’. These guys are the ‘top’ of our sport. SMH,” he added.

Thiem, meanwhile, has resumed training after testing negative for Covid-19 repeatedly. “I don’t see why I should stay home when I’m healthy,” he said.