Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, announced on Wednesday that he had tested positive for cocaine and was temporarily banned from tennis. The 31-year-old Australian, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, has participated in only two Grand Slam tournaments since then. Owing to a series of injuries, his current ranking has dropped to 919th.
Kyrgios took to social media to disclose the drug test failure in Mallorca, where he tested positive for cocaine during a lower-level tournament in June. Expressing regret, he took full accountability for his actions. Cocaine is prohibited as a doping substance during competitive events, with varying penalties when found outside of competitions.
Having previously shared his struggles with mental health, exacerbated by alcohol and drug misuse, Kyrgios admitted that accepting the potential end of his career after two injury-ridden years has been challenging. Despite feeling helpless and isolated at times, he acknowledged that his circumstances did not justify his actions.
Recently, Kyrgios received a wild card to compete in the Wimbledon doubles event alongside Alexander Bublik but was eliminated in the initial round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will handle the case, confirming that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22, with the positive test confirmed on July 17 post his Wimbledon appearance.
Following a mandatory provisional suspension imposed on August 4, Kyrgios has not appealed the decision, as stated by the ITIA.