Nick Kyrgios appeared uninterested during a petulant 6-3 6-1 defeat to Germany's Mischa Zverev at the Shanghai Masters, which included a heated exchange with a spectator.
At 3-1 down in the opening set and with the game finely poised at deuce, Kyrgios handed Zverev the point and threw the game with a deliberately weak second serve before walking directly to his chair where Umpire Ali Nili told him to play professionally.
Facing game point at 1-1 in the second set, Kyrgios started walking to his chair before Zverev's serve had even landed.
He was broken twice in the second set and as Zverev served for the match at 5-1, he took on a heckler in a heated argument mid-game.
Facing three match points at 0-40 down, Kyrgios then floated a return from Zverev's second serve before the German gratefully put away the winning shot.
Asked if he understood the crowd's reaction, Kyrgios said: "Not at all. I feel like if they knew what they were talking about they'd be on the tennis court and being successful as well.
"I can't really understand it at all. They don't know what I'm going through, so no, I don't understand it.
"I don't owe them anything. It's my choice. If you don't like it, I didn't ask you to come watch. Just leave.
"If you're so good at giving advice and so good at tennis, why aren't you as good as me? Why aren't you on the tour?'
"You want to buy a ticket? Come watch me. You know I'm unpredictable. It's your choice. I don't owe you anything. Doesn't affect how I sleep at night."
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The Australian later added on Twitter: "Not good enough today on many levels, I'm better than that. I __can go on about excuses but there are none. Sorry #StillAWorkInProgress."
The 21-year-old said he had to stifle yawns when he dispatched Sam Querrey in straight-sets on Tuesday, saying he was "bored" and "tired" after last week's exertions at the Japan Open, where he lifted the third trophy of his season and career.
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And it appeared Kyrgios wasn't up to facing his opponent Zverev from the start as he suffered his first defeat in seven matches.
Despite reaching a career high of No 14, he still has an outside chance of making the ATP World Tour Finals in London at the end of November, but Kyrgios' performance did little for his reputation and was booed by spectators as he appeared to give up.
Asked if he even wanted to qualify for the elite event at the O2 Arena in London, Kyrgios said: "I couldn't care less, to be completely honest with you."
Kyrgios has a reputation for poor behaviour on court. Last year he received a suspended one-month ban for making a lewd and personal comment during a match with Stan Wawrinka, while at Wimbledon earlier this year he called his performance in defeat to Andy Murray as "pathetic".
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