Nick Kyrgios Could Be Forced Into Retirement After Cocaine Suspension as He Admits 'Huge Mistake'

Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine at the Mallorca Open in Spain on 22 June, a sanction that could yet push the 31-year-old Australian towards an early retirement from the sport.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency, which confirmed the presence of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine, said Kyrgios has been banned from competing in or attending Grand Slams and all tour-sanctioned events since 4 August. The ITIA said Kyrgios's in-competition sample from Mallorca was analysed by a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory on 17 July and returned the presence of benzoylecgonine.

Cocaine is listed by WADA as a stimulant and a 'substance of abuse' and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, meaning a provisional suspension is mandatory under the rules. The agency added that Kyrgios has the right to appeal the provisional ban 'but has not done so to date'.

Kyrgios Calls Test 'Huge Mistake' in Emotional Instagram Story

In a lengthy Instagram statement, Kyrgios said he had made 'a huge mistake' and was taking 'full responsibility' for the failed test. He apologised to 'fans, family, sponsors and everyone close to me,' adding that he was particularly sorry to 'the kids who follow me.'

He linked the incident to the toll of persistent injuries, writing that the past two years had taken 'a huge toll on me, both mentally and physically,' and that 'coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.' He added: 'None of that excuses what I did.'

Kyrgios said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to 'focus on getting myself right' and asked for privacy for himself and his family. The news came as Kyrgios was attempting another comeback after a run of knee and wrist injuries that limited him to just four singles matches this season.

He has not appeared in a Grand Slam since the 2025 Australian Open, and his most recent outing came in men's doubles at Wimbledon, where he and Alexander Bublik lost in the first round. He is currently ranked 919 in the world.

Lengthy Ban Could Leave Career in the Balance

Under anti-doping rules, the ITIA says Kyrgios faces a maximum four-year ban. If he can persuade a tribunal that the cocaine was taken out of competition rather than as part of his tournament routine, the ceiling could fall sharply, potentially to three months, with scope for further reduction if he undergoes an approved rehabilitation programme.

There has been no immediate public comment from his sponsors. The suspension comes after a decade of high-profile incidents for Kyrgios both on and off court.

He has been repeatedly fined for on-court outbursts, racquet-smashing and clashes with umpires. The ATP once handed him a suspended 16-week ban over what it called a 'pattern of behaviour' involving verbal abuse of officials and spectators.

In 2023 he admitted in an Australian court to assaulting his former girlfriend Chiara Passari, pushing her to the ground during an argument in Canberra. Magistrates described it as 'a single act of stupidity or frustration' and spared him a criminal conviction.

Mental Health and Substance Use Struggles

Kyrgios has spoken previously about drinking heavily, abusing drugs and self-harming during what he described in Netflix's Break Point as the 'lowest point' of his career, saying he spent time in a psychiatric hospital in London after Wimbledon 2019. Earlier this year he criticised the handling of high-profile anti-doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek as 'disgusting,' complaining that 'fairness in tennis does not exist.'

He now faces judgment from the same disciplinary system. Whether the suspension marks the end of Kyrgios's professional career remains unclear, with the outcome resting on a tribunal process that could take months to resolve.