Tsitsipas Not Surprised by Nick Kyrgios Cocaine Ban
- Speaking after a first-round victory over Arthur Fils at the U.S.
- Tsitsipas indicated that the disciplinary action came as no shock given what competitors had discussed within the locker rooms.
- The two athletes share a contentious history on the professional circuit, highlighted by a volatile third-round meeting at Wimbledon in 2022.
Speaking after a first-round victory over Arthur Fils at the U.S. Open, the 28-year-old former world No. 3 noted that rumors concerning Kyrgios had circulated among players away from the court well before official announcements were made public. The International Tennis Integrity Agency provisionally suspended the 31-year-old Australian after a sample provided at the Mallorca Championships on June 22 tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. While the suspension took effect on August 4, the regulatory body publicly disclosed the sanction on August 19.
Player Reactions and Tour Environment
Tsitsipas indicated that the disciplinary action came as no shock given what competitors had discussed within the locker rooms. I knew about all of this before any announcement was made, and when I saw it on social media, I was like, Here we go. I kind of expected it, to be honest. The Greek player added that he had heard accounts regarding behaviour away from the tennis courts from others in the same competitive environment. While acknowledging the situation, Tsitsipas expressed surprise that the provisional ban arrived later than anticipated. Kyrgios has the right to appeal the suspension but had not pursued an appeal at the time of the announcement by the regulatory body.
History Between the Competitors
The two athletes share a contentious history on the professional circuit, highlighted by a volatile third-round meeting at Wimbledon in 2022. During that match, which Kyrgios won in four sets before advancing to the final, Tsitsipas hit a ball into the crowd and later struck shots toward his opponent. Kyrgios repeatedly argued with the chair umpire and demanded that Tsitsipas be defaulted from the tournament. The dispute extended beyond the match court when Tsitsipas accused Kyrgios of constant bullying and possessing a very evil side. Kyrgios countered those remarks by asserting that the Greek player had serious issues. Following the recent positive test, Kyrgios acknowledged and apologized for the finding, describing it as a huge mistake while noting that ongoing struggles with injuries had impacted him mentally as he approaches the end of his career.
