Tsitsipas reveals foreknowledge of Kyrgios’ positive cocaine test
Stefanos Tsitsipas has claimed he knew about Nick Kyrgios’ alleged off-court behaviour before the Australian tested positive for cocaine, reports BritPanorama.
Kyrgios has since been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency following a positive test at the Mallorca Championships in June. The former world No 13 accepted responsibility for the incident, describing it as a “huge mistake” in a statement posted on social media.
The Australian, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, assured fans he would “do the work and come back better” as he awaits the final verdict from the disciplinary process. He could face a ban of up to four years, with the actual punishment contingent upon the circumstances surrounding the investigation.
Tsitsipas was asked about Kyrgios during a press briefing after his first-round victory over Arthur Fils at the US Open. Pausing for several seconds, Tsitsipas revealed, “I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the announcement. Myself, I knew about it.”
Expressing a clear understanding of the situation, Tsitsipas explained that he had anticipated Kyrgios’ announcement. “When I saw it on social media, I was, like, ‘here we go’. I kind of expected it, to be honest,” he said. Although he did not claim to know about the specific test, he indicated familiarity with reports concerning Kyrgios’ behaviour outside of competition.
“I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts,” he continued. “I’m not going to try and cover up someone that I know the truth for. I’ll consider myself a nice person with everyone, but these were behaviours that I personally heard on the tour and heard other people in that same environment saying those sort of things to me.”
Tsitsipas did not provide concrete evidence for his claims, which were based on hearsay within the tennis community. This development is particularly striking given Kyrgios’ past criticism of tennis authorities regarding other players’ anti-doping incidents.
The scrutiny on Kyrgios’ conduct is heightened by his previous statements advocating for stringent penalties against those testing positive for banned substances. He now faces an uncertain future as the integrity agency deliberates his case. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas progresses, having moved on to the second round of the US Open, still in pursuit of his first Grand Slam title after two final appearances.
This incident underscores the complex intersection of talent and reputation in sport. For Kyrgios, it serves as a stark reminder of how fragile success can be, as public perception fluctuates alongside disciplinary actions and personal revelations.
