Nick Kyrgios Fined for Lack of Effort During 2016 Shanghai Masters

After showing little effort in a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Mischa Zverev in the second round of the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, Nick Kyrgios was fined $16,500 by the ATP.

According to ESPN.com, the ATP ruled that Kyrgios violated the ATP Code of Conduct, resulting in a $10,000 fine for lack of effort, a $5,000 fine for verbal abuse of a spectator and a $1,500 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The 21-year-old Aussie displayed bizarre behavior during the match, as he routinely laid in slow serves and returned shots with little or no power behind them.

When asked after the match if he let down the fans in attendance, Kyrgios showed little remorse, per ESPN.com: "What does that even mean? I'm good at hitting a tennis ball at the net. Big deal. I don't owe them anything. If you don't like it, I didn't ask you to come watch. Just leave."

The world's No. 14-ranked player changed his tune a bit after addressing the media, however, as he apologized on Twitter:

Kyrgios is no stranger to on-court controversy. He claimed Stan Wawrinka's girlfriend was cheating on him with Thanasi Kokkinakis during a match last year. Also, at this year's U.S. Open, Kyrgios retired after the third set of his third-round match against Illya Marchenko with a hip injury, but not before displaying antics similar to what he did against Zverev.

That led tennis legend John McEnroe to offer the following advice, per AAP (h/t ESPN.com): "Nick Kyrgios, you don't want to be a professional tennis player, do something else."

Kyrgios cited fatigue as the reason behind his lack of effort at the Shanghai Masters, according to Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times, as it is near the end of a lengthy tennis season.

With the defeat, however, Kyrgios gave up an opportunity to potentially compete in the ATP World Tour Finals as one of the top eight players in men's tennis, and that could impact his ranking, which is currently the highest of his career.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.