More: Kyrgios bumps Federer from prime time
Emerson, who won the Australian Open six times, including five times in a row between 1963-67, said the 20-year old Canberran has an attitude problem and needs to grow up quickly.
Speaking to ESPN, the 79-year old said Kyrgios “needs to grow up” and “he certainly has a swagger that he doesn’t deserve.”
Kyrgios has been under fire for most of this year since his antics at the Australian Open in January where he yelled at members of the crowd.
At Wimbledon he was caught allegedly calling a linesman a “dirty scum” before he was accused of “tanking” against Richard Gasquet.
More recently, he has come under fire for his “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend” sledge directed at Stan Wawrinka last month.
Ranked 37th in the world, Kyrgios has a suspended 28-day ban and fine hanging over his head.
Current Australian Davis Cup captain Wally Masur has publicly tried to defend Kyrgios and said he would still be picked in the team.
Emerson says legendary Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman wouldn’t have had a bar of his carry-on.
“Come back when you want to play tennis,” Emerson believes Hopman would have told Kyrgios.
“Performing seals are at Sea World. That is where they should be.”
Kyrgios will play Andy Murray in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday morning. The Aussie youngster has lost to the Scotsman twice in two Grand Slams this year.