Roundup: Nick Kyrgios quits Rio games as Olympic feud intensifies

Tennis Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) are at loggerheads over the treatment of star tennis player Nick Kyrgios, after the world No. 19 announced his shock withdrawal from the Rio Olympic Games on Friday.

In a statement, Kyrgios, 21, said he was "extremely disappointed" to withdraw from contention, but the negative attitude of the AOC was the key factor in the decision.

In a further twist, Tennis Australia has chosen to throw its full support behind Kyrgios and not the AOC, with president Steve Healy saying he was "very disappointed" that Kyrgios felt compelled to pull out.

"We understand Nick's decision and totally support him but we are very disappointed that he has been put in this position," Healy said on Friday.

"Nick is a passionate competitor and he's working hard to learn and mature in a highly pressurized environment where he is under constant public scrutiny.

"As we've said recently Nick's performances this year have improved. His growing maturity is reflected in his on court performance."

Kyrgios said he felt unwanted in the Olympic team after the lengthy war-of-words with chef de mission Kitty Chiller, and said the decision to give up his chance at a gold medal was a "difficult" one.

"Playing in the Olympics was a goal this year; I planned my tournament schedule around Rio and made sure to fulfil my Olympic eligibility," Kyrgios' statement read.

"Unfortunately, while I have expressed every intention of trying to win a medal for my country in Rio, it's very clear to me that the Australian Olympic Committee has other plans.

"Coming to this decision has been a lengthy and difficult process, and I am extremely disappointed to have been put in this unfortunate position."

Last month, Kyrgios was publicly named and shamed by Chiller, who said Kyrgios' and fellow tennis player Bernard Tomic's behavior had in recent months been "appalling."

"There are a few athletes that are on watch and (Kyrgios and Tomic) are among them. Every athlete is under the microscope now," Chiller said last month.

Kyrgios added that, while Tennis Australia had been supportive of his quest for an Olympics berth over the last few weeks, the negativity coming out of the AOC and Kitty Chiller gave Kyrgios no other option but to pull out of contention.

"While I have received assurances from Tennis Australia that I will be nominated for the Olympic team, the AOC has chosen to publicly and privately disparage me," he said.

"I am grateful to Tennis Australia for standing by me through this process and nominating me for the team. I also want to thank the public and the members of the media who have voiced their support.

"AOC's unfair and unjust treatment of me over the last four weeks, as well as the organization's crystal clear position on whether they want me to be a part of the Australian Olympic team, has solidified my final decision.

"Not one member of the AOC has reached out to me, my family, my team, or representatives of Tennis Australia, asking for a meeting or the opportunity to discuss their concerns.

"The AOC's unwarranted attacks on me demonstrate the organization's inability to understand the circumstances surrounding highly competitive sports."

Kyrgios is the latest in a long line of Aussie athletes to pull out of the games, after golfers Adam Scott and Mark Leishman, and tennis player Bernard Tomic all pulled out of the Games in recent months.

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games begin in August. Endit