Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios said on Wednesday he had made “a huge mistake” after he was provisionally suspended for testing positive for cocaine.
The 31-year-old, who reached the final at Wimbledon in 2022, failed a doping test during an ATP event in Mallorca on June 22.
“On 17 July 2026, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine,” the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said.
Kyrgios, whose undoubted talent has been overshadowed by a suspect temperament and injuries, wrote on Instagram that he took “full responsibility”.
“I made a huge mistake,” he wrote.
“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.”
Boasting a big serve and booming ground strokes, Kyrgios has won seven singles titles on the ATP Tour and rose to a high of 13 in the world in 2016.
His finest performance was on the grass at Wimbledon in 2022, when he reached the championship match, losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
Despite his natural talents that is as good as it got, with a series of injuries taking their toll.
He is now ranked 919 and has barely played in singles tennis in recent years.
In January, he admitted he would never be the player that he once was.
Kyrgios is one of the few players to have recorded tour-level wins over the “Big Four” of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
But the success on court came with huge problems off it, including severe injuries to his right elbow, left wrist, hip, knees, shoulders and collarbone.
He has had numerous surgeries, the most serious a complete reconstruction of his right wrist in 2024.
On Wednesday, he said that the injuries had taken “a huge toll on me both physically and mentally”.
“None of that excuses what I did,” he said of his failed test.
“However the good news is that this has given me a wake-up call.”
He added: “I’m sorry, I’ll do the work and come back better.”
The ITIA said that the suspension had been in place since August 4.
It said: “While suspended Kyrgios is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.”
AFP
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