Former Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios announced on Wednesday that he had tested positive for cocaine and was temporarily banned from professional tennis. The 31-year-old Australian, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, has had limited participation in Grand Slam tournaments due to injuries, resulting in his current rank of 919th.
Kyrgios took to social media to disclose the drug test failure in Mallorca, where he tested positive for cocaine during a lower-tier tournament in June. Expressing regret, he admitted to his error and accepted full responsibility for the situation. Cocaine is prohibited as a performance-enhancing substance in competitive sports, with varying penalties depending on the context of usage.
The tennis star has openly shared his struggles with mental health concerns, exacerbated by alcohol and drug abuse. Reflecting on his career’s uncertain future due to prolonged injury setbacks, he acknowledged feelings of isolation and vulnerability but emphasized that these challenges do not justify his actions.
Despite his recent struggles, Kyrgios received a wild card entry to compete in the Wimbledon doubles tournament alongside Alexander Bublik, where they were eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will oversee the case, confirming that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22 and the positive result was verified on July 17, following his Wimbledon participation.
A provisional suspension was enforced on August 4 as per regulations, and Kyrgios has not contested this decision, as confirmed by the ITIA.
