Nick Kyrgios is serving more than aces at the US Open this year.
The Australian was cooking up some Malaysian fried rice on Thursday night at Citi Taste of Tennis when it appears the 27-year-old’s finger was cut while he was chopping up some plant-based chicken.
When the knife touched his finger, Kyrgios pulled his hand up from the cutting board but appeared to be in good form afterward.
Kyrgios and French chef Cedric Tovar were matched up against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and chef Emma Bengtsson, who were whipping up some coconut curry on the other side of the counter.
Kyrgios, who was repping Beyond Meat, has been a vegan since 2020. He said the decision was made when witnessing the huge loss of animal life in his country.
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“I don’t eat meat or dairy anymore. That’s not for my health, I just don’t believe in eating animals,” he said. “Seeing the footage of these animals suffering with the fires only reinforces why I’ve chosen this diet. When I see these terrible photos, I can’t comprehend eating meat.”
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Osaka was behind Daring Foods, a plant-based chicken company. Although the 24-year-old eats meat, she sticks to a lean and clean diet.
The competition came down to the wire, but ultimately the judge, Prakash Amritraj, a former professional tennis player from India, declared the competition to be a tie, with the final score rated 12/10 a piece.
“Both sides were absolutely phenomenal,” Amritraj said.
The annual New York event was held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York and featured many additional high-profile players, including surprise appearances from Venus and Serena Williams.
Kyrgios and Osaka are both set to hit the New York courts for the 2022 US Open, which begins Aug. 29.