Nick Kyrgios has lost his second-round clash to Radu Albot at the Delray Beach Open in a match marred by more on-court antics from the Australian.
World No.64 Kyrgios, battling an apparent knee injury, was sent packing from the ATP event in Florida after suffering a 6-2 3-6 6-3 loss to the Moldovan in an hour and 26 minutes.
Nearing the end of the first set, Kyrgios snapped back at a heckling spectator who apparently questioned his effort.
Kyrgios was called for a code violation after a linesperson reported back to the chair umpire Fergus Murphy that the Aussie had sworn during the exchange.
The incident left Kyrgios fuming, sarcastically clapping off the official when they were relieved of their duties as he fought back to win the second set.
"Well done, champ. Well done, mate. Good stuff. You've done well," he was picked up yelling over the broadcast, not long after attempting an inside-out serve on set point.
Despite later dancing to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal at the change of ends, the 23-year-old remained upset with the official after leaving the court to a mixture of boos and cheers.
"I just don't get people," he said, according to tennis commentator John Horn.
"Yeah I swore, I'm pretty sure we all swear.
"We've got a guy who thinks he's pretty important so he goes and rats on a player who's trying to do his best out there, rats to the umpire that I was swearing."
Kyrgios said it was unfair for fans to berate him and had a message for others: "You know what you are going to get.
"They come at me saying we paid good money to come (see) me. I didn't come to your house and threaten you to come watch me play.
"I'm used to it man. When I win everything is fine, when I lose I get booed, simply as that."
Albot now faces fourth seed Steve Johnson in the quarter-finals after the American beat Italian Paolo Lorenzi 7-5 7-5.
On the same side of the draw, Argentine first seed Juan Martin del Potro won 6-4 6-4 over big-serving American Reilly Opelka, who claimed a maiden ATP title at the New York Open on Sunday.
Del Potro, returning from a knee injury for his first his event in four months, will next confront Opelka's countryman Mackenzie McDonald, who eased into the last eight with a 7-5 6-4 victory over Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
