Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, 31, has been provisionally suspended from competing and coaching in tennis after testing positive for cocaine. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the suspension on August 4, saying that Kyrgios' sample was taken on June 22 at a lower-level tournament in Mallorca, and the positive test was confirmed on July 17. Kyrgios has apologized for his mistake, stating that he made a "huge error" and takes full responsibility for it. He has also announced that he will step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his well-being.
The suspension means that Kyrgios cannot play or coach in any events sanctioned by the men's and women's tennis tours, including Grand Slam tournaments, until the outcome of a tribunal. The ITIA has said that Kyrgios could appeal against the provisional suspension, but he has not done so to date.
Kyrgios' positive test for cocaine comes after he struggled with mental health issues in the past, including contemplating suicide and spending time in a psychiatric hospital in London after losing at Wimbledon in 2019. He has also spoken about the toll that injuries have taken on him, both mentally and physically, and how they have affected his career.
Kyrgios' ranking has dropped to 919th since he was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the 2022 singles final, and he has played just four singles matches this season due to knee and wrist injuries.
| Signal | Value | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Correction rate | 0.000 | 0.4 |
| Uncertainty density | 0.080 | 0.25 |
| Assertive mismatch rate | 0.000 | 0.35 |