Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, disclosed on Wednesday that he had tested positive for cocaine, leading to his provisional suspension from professional tennis. The 31-year-old Australian, who faced Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, has encountered numerous injuries and participated in only two Grand Slam tournaments since then, resulting in a current ranking of 919th in the sport.
In a social media post, Kyrgios admitted to failing a drug test in Mallorca after being found positive for cocaine during a lower-tier tournament in June. Acknowledging his error, he took full responsibility for the situation. Cocaine is prohibited as a performance-enhancing substance during competitions, with varying penalties depending on whether it was used during or outside of events.
Kyrgios, who has openly discussed his mental health struggles exacerbated by alcohol and substance abuse, expressed the challenges of accepting the potential end of his tennis career due to his prolonged injury setbacks. Despite feeling isolated and helpless at times, he emphasized that such emotions do not justify his actions.
Recently, Kyrgios received a wild card to compete in the doubles event at Wimbledon alongside partner Alexander Bublik, but they were eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will handle the case, confirming that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22 and the positive result was verified on July 17, subsequent to his participation at Wimbledon.
Following the mandatory provisional suspension imposed on August 4, Kyrgios has not challenged the decision, as stated by the ITIA.