Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, disclosed on Wednesday that he tested positive for cocaine, leading to his provisional suspension from tennis. The 31-year-old Australian, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, has participated in just two Grand Slam events following a series of injuries, resulting in his current ranking of 919th.
Taking to social media, Kyrgios admitted to failing a drug test in Mallorca after being found positive for cocaine during a lower-level tournament in June. Expressing regret, he acknowledged his error, 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 doping substance during competitions, with potential lesser penalties if used outside of events. Kyrgios, who has openly shared his struggles with mental health worsened by alcohol and drug use in the past, reflected on the challenges of accepting the nearing end of his career due to injuries over the past two years. Despite feeling isolated and overwhelmed at times, he emphasized that such circumstances do not justify his actions.
Recently, Kyrgios received a wild card to compete in doubles at Wimbledon, where he and his partner Alexander Bublik were eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will handle the case, revealing that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22, with the positive result confirmed on July 17 post his Wimbledon participation.
Following a mandatory provisional suspension issued on August 4, Kyrgios has not contested the decision, according to the ITIA.