Kyrgios suspended after positive cocaine test

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios faces a provisional suspension from the sport after testing positive for cocaine. The positive result came from a sample collected during the Mallorca Open on June 22, which later revealed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) provisionally suspended Kyrgios on August 4. While he has the right to appeal the suspension, he has not yet done so. Kyrgios acknowledged the situation in an Instagram post, admitting he made "a huge mistake" and takes "full responsibility" for his actions.

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I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility.

Under the terms of the provisional suspension, Kyrgios is barred from playing, coaching, or attending any events sanctioned by the men's and women's tennis tours. The duration of his potential ban is still to be determined, with a maximum of four years possible. However, if Kyrgios can demonstrate that he took the drug out of competition, the maximum penalty could be reduced to three months.

This suspension comes as the 31-year-old has had a limited playing season, participating in only four singles matches due to persistent knee and wrist injuries. He last competed in the men's doubles at Wimbledon. Kyrgios stated he would be stepping away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his recovery and well-being, citing the mental and physical toll of his recent injury struggles and coming to terms with the potential end of his career.

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My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do. Coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined. None of that excuses what I did.