Tsitsipas: Kyrgios Cocaine Ban 'Expected'

Stefanos Tsitsipas says he was not surprised by Nick Kyrgios's provisional suspension from tennis for taking cocaine. The Greek player made the comments on Monday after his first-round US Open victory, a result you can find in our comprehensive fixtures list.

"Pretty much expected, to be honest," Tsitsipas told reporters. "I am surprised it came so late, though." He elaborated further, stating he had prior knowledge of the situation before any public announcement was made.

Tsitsipas's Prior Knowledge

Tsitsipas claimed he was aware of Kyrgios's issues away from the court. "I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the announcement. Myself, I knew about it," he said. The world No. 7 added that when he saw the news on social media, his reaction was one of expectation, not shock. He attributed his awareness to rumors circulating among players on the tour.

"I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts. I will tell you that," Tsitsipas stated. "I'm not going to try and cover up someone that I know the truth for."

Kyrgios's Admission and Context

Nick Kyrgios tested positive for cocaine in June while competing at an ATP 250 event in Mallorca. In an August Instagram post, the Australian admitted he had "made a huge mistake" and confirmed he had received a provisional ban. He could face a suspension of up to four years, though a lighter punishment is reportedly anticipated.

In his post, Kyrgios did not make excuses but provided context for his state of mind. He wrote that a series of injuries over the last couple of years, detailed on our injuries page, had taken a significant physical and mental toll. "My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined," he explained. Kyrgios described feeling "helpless and alone" when suspended.

A Heated History

The relationship between Tsitsipas and Kyrgios has been notably tense. Their most famous encounter was a fiery third-round match at Wimbledon in 2022, the same year Kyrgios reached his only Grand Slam final. During that match, Tsitsipas hit shots directly at Kyrgios, intentionally struck a ball into the crowd, and subsequently labeled the Australian a "bully."

Kyrgios has played very little tennis since that 2022 season due to persistent injuries. His provisional ban now casts further doubt on whether he will return to the professional tour. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, is focused on his US Open campaign after advancing past the first round, with fans tracking his progress in the standings.