Nick Kyrgios hit a disappointing low as it was confirmed he had been provisionally banned from tennis after testing positive for cocaine while at the Mallorca Open.
The Australian does not yet know how long he will be banned from tennis, but he did react to the news via his social media accounts.
“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,” he said.
“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.
Following on from Kyrgios’ ban, Boris Becker has weighed in with his thoughts on the matter.
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Speaking on Becker Petkovic, the former Wimbledon champion said: “He tested positive for doping. In this case it was cocaine. Was I surprised? Not really. Given how I have seen him lately.”
Becker also suggested Kyrgios’ upcoming ban from tennis could go one of two ways.
“And now the question is, did he take it before the match? Then I think he will be banned for at least two years,” explained the former world No 1. Or after the match, so not during a tournament. Then the penalty is milder.”
Despite Kyrgios’ mistake, Becker shares empathy with the Australian following his positive test.
“Yes, of course he can’t complain about criticism. He really dished it out at Sinner in his doping case. Simona Halep also commented on it and spoke of karma. Still I am a humanist and we are all human. We make mistakes. So I hope that he recovers.
“That he realizes that this is the wrong path. Drugs have no place in sports anyway. But especially with young people, he is only 31. And I hope that with help from his friends he finds himself again. I think he has lost his way a little bit.
“He spoke about the fact that he has realized how much he loves tennis. And how he misses not being at the top of the world and not playing tournaments anymore for whatever reason.”
Prior to his positive test, Kyrgios had returned sporadically to the ATP Tour throughout the year.
He played tournaments in Brisbane, Stuttgart, and Mallorca in singles and he also played doubles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
As for the length of Kyrgios’ upcoming ban, it will range a variety of factors.
The Australian could be banned for up to four years — which is the maximum penalty for failing an anti-doping test, but there are ways he can massively impact his upcoming ban.
If Kyrgios can prove he took the substance outside of competition, which in this case would be at the Mallorca Open, he could only face a three-month ban from the sport.
As the Australian awaits to see how long he will be out of action for on the ATP Tour, Kyrgios has been removed from the 2027 Kooyong Classic.
