Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from professional tennis after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, during the Mallorca Open in June, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Wednesday.
Kyrgios provided the sample on June 22 during the ATP 250 tournament in Mallorca. A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory subsequently confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine.
The provisional suspension took effect on Aug. 4. Kyrgios has the right to appeal but has not done so, the ITIA said.
Under the suspension, the 31-year-old cannot compete, train or participate in events sanctioned by the men's or women's professional tennis tours, including Grand Slam tournaments.
Kyrgios, a former world No. 13 and 2022 Wimbledon finalist, acknowledged the positive test in a statement on Instagram, describing it as a “huge mistake” and saying he took “full responsibility” for his actions.
“I’m not going to make excuses,” Kyrgios said, while referring to the physical and mental toll of persistent injuries in recent years and the difficulty of coming to terms with the possibility that his career may be nearing its end.
He also said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on himself.
Kyrgios has played only four singles matches this season as he has struggled with recurring knee and wrist injuries. His most recent appearance came in the men's doubles at Wimbledon, where he partnered Alexander Bublik and lost in the first round.
The Australian reached a career-high ranking of No. 13 in 2016 and won seven ATP singles titles. In 2022, he reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Novak Djokovic, and won the Australian Open men's doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Cocaine is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a stimulant and a substance of abuse and is prohibited in competition.
The ITIA's case against Kyrgios remains subject to the applicable anti-doping process, with any further sanction to be determined.
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