By Rohith Nair
Aug 19 (Reuters) – Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios was provisionally suspended from tennis on Wednesday after testing positive for cocaine, with the volatile Australian owning up to his “huge mistake” in a public apology.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the suspension of the 31-year-old following a positive test for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, from a sample taken during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca in June.
Kyrgios, who reached a career-high rank of 13, has been provisionally suspended since August 4 after a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) laboratory confirmed the presence of the banned stimulant on July 17.
“I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it,” Kyrgios said on Instagram.
“I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.”
Cocaine is classified as a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under tennis anti-doping rules.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TOLL
Kyrgios said he made no excuses but painted a picture of a player struggling with the twilight of his career, citing the mental toll of recent injuries.
“I do want to give some context about where I’ve been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally,” he added.
“My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
“I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis — tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone.”
Kyrgios, a Wimbledon finalist in 2022, has been unable to recapture that form after a series of injury setbacks, including missing the entire 2024 season.
He has undergone wrist reconstruction and knee surgeries, playing only 10 matches since the start of 2023 which has sent his ranking tumbling.
His most recent appearance came at Wimbledon earlier this year, where he teamed up with Alexander Bublik in the doubles draw where the pair were beaten in the opening round.
While suspended, Kyrgios cannot play in, coach at, or attend any events organised by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.
NO APPEAL FROM KYRGIOS
The Australian has not appealed the provisional suspension and said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to “focus on getting myself right.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll do the work and come back better,” he concluded.
Kyrgios had previously been quite vocal about doping bans, saying the incidents involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek were “disgusting” for the sport while slamming authorities over what he saw as lenient treatment in their cases.
Sinner failed two drug tests in 2024 for trace amounts of the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol and served a three-month ban, but was cleared of any wrongdoing, while Swiatek accepted a one-month ban after a positive test for hormone and metabolic modulator trimetazidine.
“Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look,” Kyrgios had said.
He also admitted having suicidal thoughts in 2019 after a second-round loss to Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon, revealing that he “ended up in a psych ward in London” to figure out his problems.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
