Both Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have pointedly declined to pour more fuel on the raging Lleyton Hewitt firestorm after being forced out of the Australian Open in pain.
Kokkinakis lasted only a set and half of his first-round clash with Taro Daniel on Tuesday before succumbing to a pectoral muscle injury, while late on Tuesday night, Kyrgios also fell out of contention with a 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-4 loss to Milos Raonic, after seeking treatment several times on his right knee.
Kyrgios arrived for media duties after his loss in a petulant mood, and when focus shifted inevitably to inflammatory claims 24 hours earlier from Bernard Tomic that he, Kokkinakis and Kyrgios no longer wanted to play Davis Cup under Hewitt, Kyrgios snapped at several questions leaving plenty of wriggle room for interpretation within his brief answers.
He said there was "not really" a rift between himself and Hewitt, answering "sure" when he was asked whether he supported the Davis Cup captain.
"I don't know what to say. I don't have a big deal with anything. I've always wanted to play Davis Cup. I love Davis Cup ... I'm available. That's all I got to say," he said.
"I think (the focus on these issues) is ridiculous, to be honest. With all the issues that are going on in the world, we're focusing on someone's comments about Davis Cup. It's pretty sad."
While Kyrgios said his knee wasn't a factor in his loss, Kokkinakis' looked on top before his ailment set in.
"It gets really tough every time I have to retire like that," said the injury-cursed Kokkinakis.
"That's the most pain I've ever played in during a match."
The former world No. 69 said he did not expect the injury would require further surgery.
Meanwhile despite being under Tennis Australia management, Kokkinakis turned down the opportunity to endorse Hewitt staying on as Australian Davis Cup captain, after Tomic called for him to quit.
"I'm not going to answer that," he told reporters.
He neither endorsed or deliberately distanced himself from Tomic's remarks.
"I don't really want to answer that stuff right now," said Kokkinakis.
"I'm just pissed off I lost tonight (and) retired."
The 22-year-old, who has battled a litany of serious injuries over the last two years, was coy on whether having to negotiate three qualifying matches last week -- rather than getting a wildcard -- may have affected him.
"Of course, I was disappointed. I thought I would have got [a wildcard]," he said.
"But it was a good little feather in my cap to qualify for a slam, especially the home slam.
"Hopefully I'm not in that position too many more times."