Former Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios 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 only participated in two Grand Slam tournaments since then. Kyrgios, currently ranked 919th due to various injuries, disclosed the details of his situation on social media.
“I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine,” he shared, referring to an incident at a lower-level competition in June. “I made a significant mistake and accept full responsibility for it.” Cocaine is prohibited as a performance-enhancing substance during competitions, although lesser penalties may apply when used outside of events.
Kyrgios has openly discussed his struggles with mental health, which have been worsened by alcohol and drug use. Reflecting on his career’s potential conclusion after enduring two years of injuries, he admitted, “At times I’ve felt powerless and isolated. However, none of that justifies my actions.”
Despite receiving a wild card to compete in doubles at Wimbledon last month, Kyrgios, alongside partner Alexander Bublik, was eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will handle the case, confirming that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22, with the positive result confirmed on July 17 following his Wimbledon participation.
A mandatory provisional suspension was enforced on August 4 and has not been challenged by Kyrgios, as per the ITIA’s statement.
