Nick Kyrgios’ Suspension After Testing Positive for Banned Substance Sparks Wild Reactions – “Jannik and Iga Should Be Laughing Right Now”

Nick Kyrgios used to condemn Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek after they tested positive for clostebol and trimetazidine, respectively.

Nick Kyrgios’ Suspension After Testing Positive for Banned Substance Sparks Wild Reactions – “Jannik and Iga Should Be Laughing Right Now”

L-R: Nick Kyrgios; Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek (Image via The Independent, X/The Tennis Letter)

“Karma is a savage thing,” wrote one X user upon learning that Nick Kyrgios has failed a doping test. Kyrgios, whose X account was filled with scathing remarks about Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner after their doping scandals, tested positive for cocaine.

Kyrgios submitted a sample during the ATP 250 Mallorca Open on June 22 this year, and it contained benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, and as a result, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) provisionally suspended him. The Aussie has been suspended since August 4.

I wanted you to hear this from me first. I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it. 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. I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been.

Nick Kyrgios wrote on Instagram

Kyrgios has played just four matches this season. He was last seen in action in the first round of Wimbledon, where he played doubles alongside Alexander Bublik.

The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined. I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis – tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone. None of that excuses what I did.

Nick Kyrgios added

Kyrgios believes the suspension has given him a wake-up call, and that for the next 28 days, he will be stepping away from social media as well as public life. He urged everyone to respect his and his family’s privacy.

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Fans laugh at Nick Kyrgios and bring up his past criticism of Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek

As expected, Nick Kyrgios‘ doping news has sparked wild reactions on social media. The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up is a controversial figure in the world of tennis and has frequently made headlines due to his conduct and comments.

Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios (Image via BBC)

When Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner failed the drug tests, he accused them of using the banned substances deliberately for performance enhancement. And now Kyrgios finds himself in the very situation he once criticized.

Check how fans reacted to Kyrgios’ suspension:

Sinner was contaminated by the anabolic steroid clostebol, while in Swiatek’s case, the substance was trimetazidine, which contaminated a melatonin medication she consumed for jet lag and sleep.

Clostebol entered Sinner’s body during physiotherapy sessions. His then-physio, Giacomo Naldi, who had a cut on his finger, used a contaminated spray bought from Italy by his fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara.

Swiatek faced just a one-month ban, which also included the provisional suspension. Sinner also served his provisional suspension, and later the ITIA declared him innocent. But the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) challenged the verdict and demanded a ban of between one and two years.

After Sinner’s Australian Open title defense last year, they withdrew their appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and imposed a three-month ban. Sinner returned to competition at the Italian Open.

At present, Sinner is nursing a knee injury, while Swiatek is bidding to defend her title at the Cincinnati Open. The Pole entered Cincinnati after ending her title drought at the Canadian Open.

Also read: Jessica Pegula Navigates Evolving Cincinnati Conditions Amid Strategic Season Push