BRISBANE, Australia — As the Brisbane International approaches, Nick Kyrgios is stepping back into the spotlight, voicing strong criticism concerning recent doping allegations directed at Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. He boldly described these violations of the sport’s anti-doping protocols as “abhorrent for our sport.”
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has brought charges against Sinner, who currently holds the No. 1 ranking, along with former No. 1 Swiatek. While Sinner tested positive for an anabolic steroid on two occasions in March, he avoided a suspension after the ITIA concluded that there were mitigating circumstances.
Swiatek, on the other hand, agreed to a one-month ban last November after being found guilty of using the banned stimulant trimetazidine.
“Having two world No. 1 players embroiled in doping scandals is a disgrace for our sport. It’s a truly dreadful image,” Kyrgios expressed during his press conference at the Brisbane International. “The state of tennis integrity is currently in question, and while everyone is aware of it, no one seems ready to discuss it—it’s alarming.”
Returning to competitive tennis for the first time since June 2023 due to injuries, Kyrgios was prompted to share his thoughts on the Sinner and Swiatek cases.
“Someone like me would never consider doping in this sport, not now nor at any point in my life,” he stated. “After facing significant injuries, it’s tempting to use substances that might expedite healing, but that’s simply not my ethos. I stand firmly against it.”
Sinner successfully claimed that his physiotherapist accidentally contaminated him with clostebol during a treatment session, which allegedly came from a cut on the therapist’s hand.
Kyrgios raised pivotal questions regarding the timeline. “I invest significant amounts in my team’s expertise to avoid these situations,” he remarked. “So if they were aware that this occurred, why did it take five to six months for action to be taken? That seems off.”
Kyrgios is set to face off against France’s 21-year-old Giovanni Perricard in the opening round of the Brisbane International.
This tournament marks Kyrgios’s first tour-level participation since June 2023, as he has been struggling with serious wrist and knee injuries following his quarterfinal run at the 2022 U.S. Open.
Kyrgios is also slated to compete in the Australian Open starting January 12, aiming to return to Grand Slam singles action for the first time in over two years.
The 2018 Brisbane International champion will team up with Novak Djokovic in doubles, with Djokovic having triumphed over Kyrgios in the singles final at Wimbledon 2022.
Djokovic is the top seed at the Brisbane International and will begin his campaign against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the first round, as revealed in the recent singles draw.
Should both Kyrgios and Djokovic advance successfully, they would meet in the semifinals, as they are positioned in the top half of the singles bracket.
