Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios tells umpire he is 'terrible' following defeat to Tomas Berdych

The controversial 20-year-old Australian complained throughout the match of music playing in the crowd

Nick Kyrgios protests to umpire James Keothavong (Getty Images)

The controversial Nick Kyrgios may have landed himself in trouble with tennis authorities after appearing to tell the chair umpire: “You are a terrible referee.”

The 20-year-old suffered a third-round Australian Open defeat to Tomas Berdych at the Rod Laver Arena and cut a frustrated figure for much of the match, repeatedly complaining about music which was playing in the crowd.

During the second set of his 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 defeat, Kyrgios could be heard shouting to the umpire James Keothavong: "Mate, are you okay? There's music playing in the crowd while we are playing! I've told you seven times! Mate!"

"Am I hearing things? Am I hearing things? Mate, it's a circus," he continued, before recovering to dominate and claim the third set.

Kyrgios, however, faltered once again in the fourth and, after losing the match on a double fault, could be heard telling Keothavong: “You are a terrible referee.”

The Australian player has become known as the ‘bad boy’ of the ATP circuit with frequent displays of indiscipline while on court.

Last year, and most notoriously of all, he sledged Stanislas Wawrinka with reference to his then-girlfriend and fellow tennis player Donna Vekic.

Wawrinka reacted angrily to Kyrgios’ taunts after their match and condemned his behaviour on Twitter, writing: “So disappointing to see a fellow athlete and colleague be so disrespectful in a way could never even imagine.”

“To [stoop] so low is not only unacceptable but also beyond belief.”

Kyrgios was handed a one-month suspended ban from ATP-sanctioned tournaments and fined around £22,000 following the incident, which will come into effect if he receives fines for verbal or physical abuse at an ATP tournament before 24 February.