Nick Kyrgios has accepted and served a reduced, one-month suspension under anti-doping rules after testing positive for cocaine at an ATP Tour event in Mallorca.
Kyrgios, who had been provisionally suspended since August 4, had entered into a treatment programme approved by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to reduce the three-month default suspension under WADA rules.
The Australian gave a sample at an ATP tournament in Majorca in June which tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
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The drug is banned in competition and the former Wimbledon finalist has been provisionally suspended since August 4, meaning he cannot play or attend tournaments.
During an interview with ITIA investigators, the 31-year-old explained that his use of cocaine had “occurred socially” during a night out before he was due to play in Mallorca, the statement said.
The ITIA consulted an independent scientific expert at a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory, who stated that the explanation was consistent with the level of cocaine found in his sample.
“As a result, the ITIA accepted that Kyrgios’ use of cocaine was outside of competition,” it added.
The ITIA said Kyrgios’ suspension ends on Thursday, subject to completion of the programme.
Prize money and ranking points from the Mallorca event will be forfeited.
Cocaine is prohibited in-competition and carries a provisional suspension.
Kyrgios apologised last month on social media for the failed drug test, saying he had made a “huge mistake” and took full responsibility for it.
“I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it,” Kyrgios said in a post 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.”
His first-round loss to fellow Australian Adam Walton in Majorca was his last competitive singles outing and one of only four singles matches he has played this season.
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‘Tormented soul’ Kyrgios in firing line
Sky Sports Tennis’ Annabel Croft described Kyrgios as a “tormented soul” who could now find himself on the receiving end of the very criticism he dished out when Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek were involved in high-profile doping cases.
“He has always struck me as a tormented soul out there, and he is never far from creating headlines,” Croft said. “He seems to do that effortlessly.
“There is a lot of criticism being thrown at him right now because he was the one firing arrows at other players who had been banned for a certain amount of time. It is now being directed right back at him.”
‘Kyrgios needs to find balance’
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Former world No 40 Ryan Harrison believes Kyrgios must strike the right balance between his responsibilities on the court and his downtime off it.
“It is disappointing,” Harrison added. “Kyrgios has been such an electric player for so long.
“He is one of those guys. You talk about the ‘Big Four’, and he was the next in line that the casual fan and observer would talk about because of the way he played, his talent, fearlessness and energy.
“The persona would come out sometimes in the way he handled pressure. Sometimes it wasn’t always positive.
“When you are an athlete and training on a regular basis, your life is very structured and regimented.
“When you stop playing and you are not doing that on a week-to-week basis, some players can find it difficult to strike a balance and know, ‘When can I go out?’
“I think Nick needs to find that balance and, while it is disappointing, hopefully for his sake, as he takes time away, he can find happiness off the court and be the best he can be.”
Controversial Kyrgios’ career timeline
Kyrgios has earned a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ of this generation of players
- 2013: Turns professional after winning the Australian Open boys’ singles title in January of that year
- 2014: Announces himself to the world on his Wimbledon debut by upsetting world No 1 Rafael Nadal in the fourth round when just 19 years old.
- July 2015: Criticised for his behaviour and comments at Wimbledon, including accusations of ‘tanking’ in fourth-round loss to Richard Gasquet.
- August 2015: Fined and given 28-day suspended ban for controversial comments about Stan Wawrinka’s then-girlfriend, women’s player Donna Vekic.
- October 2016: Criticised for his effort during a defeat to Mischa Zverev at Shanghai Masters. Receives an eight-week suspension, which was later reduced.
- October 2016: Reaches his career-high singles ranking of 13th in the world in October after claiming his first three of seven career ATP titles in the same year – wins in Marseille, Atlanta, and Tokyo.
- June 2018: Fined for inappropriate behaviour during Queen’s semi-final match against Marin Cilic after TV cameras caught him using his water bottle to simulate a lewd act during a changeover.
- May 2019: Throws a chair onto the court during the Rome Masters and is defaulted from his match against Casper Ruud.
- January 2022: Wins the Australian Open men’s doubles title with fellow Australian and good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis.
- July 2022: Reaches his first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon, which he loses in four sets to Novak Djokovic. His run is not without controversy as he is twice fined for his behaviour, for spitting towards a spectator in his first-round match with Paul Jubb and for an audible obscenity during a fiery third-round encounter with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
- January 2023: Undergoes knee surgery, beginning a prolonged period of injury problems that has limited him to only one Grand Slam appearance since.
- February 2023: Has an assault charge dismissed by a magistrate after pleading guilty to shoving over his ex-girlfriend in 2021.
- July 2023: Withdraws from Wimbledon because of a wrist injury, having hoped to match or even improve on his run to the final the prior year.
- August 2026: Provisionally suspended after a sample given at an ATP tournament in Majorca in June tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
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