Kyrgios Confesses Cocaine Positive, Faces Ban
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- Nick Kyrgios revealed he tested positive for cocaine in June at a lower-tier grass-court event in Mallorca, Spain, announcing the failure on Instagram and saying he "made a huge mistake and take full responsibility."
- The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed the sample was taken June 22, the positive result confirmed July 17 (after Kyrgios played at Wimbledon), and a mandatory provisional suspension was applied Aug. 4 — which Kyrgios has not appealed.
- Kyrgios faces a ban of up to four years, though lighter sanctions typically apply because cocaine is banned in-competition; British player Dan Evans served a one-year ITIA ban in 2017 for a similar positive at the Barcelona Open.
- The 31-year-old has played just 10 singles matches on the ATP Tour since his 2022 peak (winning two), is now ranked 919th, and cited two years of injuries that left him feeling "helpless and alone."
- Kyrgios called the positive test a "wake-up call," said he is stepping away from social media and public life for 28 days, and signaled his career is not over.
- His most recent high-profile on-court moment was a "Battle of the Sexes" win over Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai in December; his career peak came in 2022 when he reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Novak Djokovic.
Why it matters: At 31 and ranked 919th, Kyrgios was already barely competing after two injury-ravaged years — a doping suspension now threatens whatever remains of his career. The Dan Evans precedent (one-year ITIA ban in 2017 for cocaine at the Barcelona Open) points to a punishment well short of the four-year maximum, but every month sidelined is a month closer to the end.
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