Nick Kyrgios Suspended After Positive Cocaine Test
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from professional tennis after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine, the International Tennis Integrity Agency has announced.
The 31-year-old provided a urine sample at the ATP 250 Mallorca Open in Spain on 22 June and the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, on 17 July. The mandatory provisional suspension took effect on 4 August and remains in force. Kyrgios has not appealed the decision.
Under the suspension he is barred from competing in, coaching at or attending any events organised or sanctioned by the ATP, WTA, Grand Slams, World Tennis or national associations. The case will proceed to a full hearing before an independent tribunal that will determine any further sanctions.
Cocaine is classified as both a stimulant and a substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. Kyrgios’s sample was collected during an event in which he competed in singles, losing in the first round to fellow Australian Adam Walton.
In an Instagram statement posted on Wednesday, Kyrgios took full responsibility. “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 wrote. He apologised to fans, family, sponsors and young followers, saying he was deeply disappointed in himself. He cited the physical and mental toll of recent injuries and the difficulty of accepting that his career may be nearing its end, while stressing that none of that excused his actions. He described the positive test as a wake-up call and said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on himself, requesting privacy for himself and his family.
Kyrgios reached a career-high ranking of world No. 13 in 2016 and contested the 2022 Wimbledon singles final, losing to Novak Djokovic. A seven-time ATP singles title winner and 2022 Australian Open doubles champion, he has struggled with persistent knee and wrist injuries in recent years. He has played only four singles matches in 2026, with one win and three losses. His most recent appearance was in men’s doubles at Wimbledon alongside Alexander Bublik, where the pair exited in the first round.
Known for his powerful serve, flamboyant style and outspoken personality, Kyrgios has also faced repeated fines and criticism for on-court behaviour. He has previously spoken publicly about mental health challenges. The provisional suspension now removes him from the professional circuit while the anti-doping process continues.
