Former Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios announced today that he failed a drug test for cocaine and has been temporarily suspended from professional tennis. The 31-year-old Australian, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, has struggled with injuries and is currently ranked 919th in the world rankings after limited participation in Grand Slam tournaments.
Kyrgios took to social media to disclose the details of the incident, admitting that he tested positive for cocaine during a lower-tier tournament in Mallorca in June. The tennis player acknowledged his mistake, stating, “I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility for it.”
Cocaine is prohibited as a performance-enhancing substance in competitive sports, with varying penalties depending on the circumstances of use. Kyrgios, who has openly discussed his mental health challenges exacerbated by substance abuse, expressed his struggles with the realization that his career may be nearing its end due to persistent injuries over the past two years. Despite feeling helpless and isolated at times, he emphasized that his circumstances do not justify his actions.
Recently, Kyrgios received a wild card entry to compete in the doubles event at Wimbledon, where he and partner Alexander Bublik were eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) is handling Kyrgios’ case, confirming that his drug test sample was collected on June 22 and the positive result was verified on July 17 following his Wimbledon appearance.
A mandatory provisional suspension was imposed on Kyrgios on August 4, which he has not contested, according to the ITIA.
