Anna Palus claims Kyrgios’ ‘false allegation’ had caused ‘substantial damage and distress’
The woman Nick Kyrgios accused of having had “700 drinks” before he had her thrown off Centre Court at the men’s final of Wimbledon is taking legal action against the tennis star.
Anna Palus was temporarily ejected from the Wimbledon Grand Slam final between Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic in July after the Australian suggested she was intoxicated.
The 32-year-old has denied the claim, saying she only had two drinks on the day and was trying to support him.
In a statement, the Polish medical lawyer has since decided to launch defamation proceedings against Kyrgios in order to “clear her name”, MailOnline reports.
Issued through her solicitors Brett Wilson, Palus wrote she had attended the event with her mother, and had been “looking forward to for some time”.
“During the course of the final, Nick Kyrgios made a reckless and entirely baseless allegation against me,” the statement reads.
“Not only did this cause considerable harm on the day, resulting in my temporary removal from the arena, but Mr Kyrgios’s false allegation was broadcast to, and read by, millions around the world, causing me and my family very substantial damage and distress.
“I am not litigious, but after much consideration, I have concluded that that I have no alternative but to instruct my solicitors Brett Wilson LLP to bring defamation proceedings against Mr Kyrgios in order to clear my name.
“The need to obtain vindication, and to prevent repetition of the allegation, are the only reasons for taking legal action.”
Palus said any damages she receives will be donated to charity and ended her statement by saying she hoped Kyrgios will “reflect on the harm he has caused me and my family and offer a prompt resolution to this matter”.
“However, if he is unwilling to do this, I am committed to obtaining vindication in the High Court.”
"She's the one who looks like she's had 700 drinks, bro."
Nick Kyrgios was fed up with a heckler in the stands at Wimbledon 😅
(via @ChrisHammer180)pic.twitter.com/j5XnPpZWNc
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 10, 2022
"Ona mnie rozprasza, dlaczego wciąż tu jest?
Oszalała i krzyczy do mnie w środku gry.
To nie jest dopuszczalne.
Wyrzućcie ją, to ta w sukience, która wygląda jakby wypiła 700 drinków." – nakazał sędziemu Nick Kyrgios.Polska prawniczka Anna Palus.
2 drinki.😂😂😂#PolakPotrafi! pic.twitter.com/ikOOE93Mf2— @DolnyMokotow 🇵🇱 (@DolnyMokotow) July 12, 2022
Kyrgios’ spoke out about Palus during the third set, claiming that she was putting him off.
“She’s distracting me when I’m serving in a Wimbledon final,” he told the umpire.
“There’s no other bigger occasion, you didn’t believe me and then she did it again. It nearly cost me the game. Why is she still here? She’s drunk out of her mind and speaking to me in the middle of a game. What’s acceptable?’
After the umpire replied “nothing is acceptable”, Kyrgios said: “Ok kick her out. I know exactly which one it is. The one in the dress, who looks like she’s had about 700 drinks bro.”
After the match, Kyrgios continued to speak about Palus’ behaviour, saying: “I don’t need someone absolutely smashed talking to me point in, point out.”
Palus later said that the temperature on the day had impacted her. It reached 29C on 10 July.
After the incident, she told The Sun that she was trying to support Kyrgios.
“I wanted to show we were for him, I wanted to encourage him,” she said.
And she added to The Telegraph that she supported Kyrgios because she had suffered from depression, like him, and sympathised. “I wanted to give him support. Maybe I took it too far… but I only had good intentions,” she said.
Related links:
- How much Nick Kyrgios has been fined for swearing in front of Prince George at Wimbledon
- Nick Kyrgios could face two years in prison over assault claims as ex-girlfriend speaks out
- Nick Kyrgios tells reporter ‘I do what I want’ after defying Wimbledon dress code
- Nick Kyrgios called ‘evil bully’ by Stefanos Tsitsipas after heated encounter
