Cincinnati, Aug 19 (IANS): Croatian tennis player Donna Vekic spoke publicly for the first time since Nick Kyrgios' infamous "banged your girlfriend" sledge, saying she hoped the controversial Australian would learn a lesson from the outrage.

Vekic, 19, was the player Kyrgios was referring to when he jibed at his Swiss opponent Stan Wawrinka in a match last week in Montreal that another Australian player, Thanasi Kokkinakis had "banged your girlfriend".

"It's not easy but I'm trying to focus on tennis and my next match," Vekic was quoted as saying by Canadian newspaper The Province on Tuesday.

When asked if she had spoken to Kyrgios, she said, "I don't know. I haven't spoken to Kyrgios. But it's a very disappointing thing to be happening in our sport and I hope it won't happen again because it's not a very good image for our sport."

She said Kyrgios would learn from the incident. Kyrgios was fined $12,500 for the comment and was widely condemned.

Roger Federer, among several other leading players, criticised Kyrgios for his outburst. The Australian issued an apology after he was confronted by Wawrinka in the dressing sheds after the match.