“Nick Kyrgios’s problem is much more serious”: Tennis Insider Defends Suspended Australian Star Despite Heavy Backlash

After the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) provisionally suspended Nick Kyrgios for testing positive for c***ine, the Aussie received a fair bit of condemnation from several prominent figures in tennis media. However, a few journalists also joined in the conversation with a very different take. One of them was Gonzalo Ferreyra.

“I think Kyrgios’s problem is much more serious and has nothing to do with tennis,” he posted on X. “Of course, he should be suspended, that’s not up for debate, but judging him from a position of moral superiority is wrong. There’s a much deeper issue at play, and it has to do with mental health.”

Journalist Jon Wertheim also made a similar point while sympathizing with Kyrgios

“The irony is undeniable. But the overarching emotions here: pity and sadness…” wrote Jon Wertheim in a post on X. “This pretty much ends a career so swollen with potential and talent, never realized.”

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The ITIA confirmed a WADA-accredited laboratory found benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of c***ine, in a sample Kyrgios provided during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca in June, with the provisional suspension in place since August 4.

Kyrgios addressed the result himself on Instagramand apologized to his fans, family and sponsors and said he would step away from public life for 28 days.

Wertheim also highlighted that standard ITIA protocol bars provisionally suspended players from attending events entirely, meaning no on-site appearances or podcasts for someone who has often used those settings to stay connected to the sport.

The irony that Wertheim referred to is not lost on anyone. Kyrgios has repeatedly and pointedly criticized Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek over their own past doping cases, arguing their sanctions for clostebol and trimetazidine were too lenient. His positive test has been thrust into the spotlight since then, making his remarks come to light again.

The story of Kyrgios is also a tale of brilliance that has been hampered by injury and inconsistency throughout his career. He became the youngest player ever to beat the Big Four: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray- defeating each in their very first meeting and also managed to reach the 2022 Wimbledon final as an underdog.

However, his chronic wrist, knee, and other injuries have limited his on-court presence to just four singles matches this season, collapsing his ranking to world No. 919. Additionally, his lack of discipline, instances like partying till 4 am in a club before a Grand Slam match, and living a lifestyle of a non-athlete while competing at the professional level have long fueled the “biggest waste of talent in tennis” label attached to his career.

The classification of c***ine is an important determinant of what comes next. C***ine is classified as a “substance of abuse” under WADA regulations, which include other types of drugs such as h*r*in, MDMA and cannabis, all of which are regularly abused in society but not used to cheat in sport. The standard sanction is three months, which can be shortened to one month if the athlete follows an approved treatment programme, as opposed to up to four years in the case of conventional doping offences.

The ITIA confirmed the provisional suspension itself was mandatory purely because of the substance involved. Even though the suspension might not be long, Kyrgios’ advancing age, injury history and fresh suspected mental health concerns mean a short ban could still probably end his professional career.

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