With just days to go before his return to the Brisbane International, Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has reacted strongly to doping-related cases. World No. 1 Janic Siner and former No. 1 Iga Sviatek have been accused of doping.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has accused Janic Siner and Iga Sviatek of violating the Laws of the Game. Sinner tested positive twice for anabolic steroids in March 2024, but the ITIA concluded that Sinner was not responsible for the incident. Sviatek tested positive for the banned drug trimetazidine in November 2024 and accepted a one-month suspension.
Kyrgios’ reaction:
“It’s a shame for our sport to have two world No. 1 players accused of doping,” Kyrgios said at a press conference at the Brisbane International. “The current integrity in tennis is in dire straits. Everyone knows it, but no one is willing to talk.”
Kyrgios, 29, has not played competitive tennis since June 2023, as he was sidelined with wrist and knee injuries.
Kyrgios was asked why he felt it was important to talk about the cases of Sinner and Sviatek. He said, “I would never, under any circumstances, have thought about doping. Even during my injury, even if there were things that could have helped me recover faster or help me in my rehabilitation, I didn’t think about it. Because it’s not my nature. I always do things like that. I have been protesting.”
Sadhab of Sinner case:
Sinner argued that his physiotherapist accidentally administered a drug called clostebol to him during treatment, which became infected from a wound on his arm. Kyrgios also raised questions in this regard. “I pay my team a lot of money for professional work. It is their responsibility to avoid such mistakes. If they knew about this incident, why didn’t they do anything about it for five months?”
Preparing for a comeback:
Kyrgios will face 21-year-old Frenchman Giovanni Pericard in the first round at the Brisbane International. Kyrgios will be playing in a tournament for the first time since June 2023’s Stuttgart Open.
In addition, Kyrgios will also participate in the Australian Open starting in January 2025. This will be his first Grand Slam tournament since the 2022 US Open.
Partner Novak Djokovic in doubles:
Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic will pair up in doubles at the Brisbane International. Djokovic is the top seed in Brisbane and will play Australia’s Rinky Hijikata in the first round.
With both players in the same draw, they are likely to play against each other if they reach the semi-finals.
Nick Kyrgios’ comeback is important for tennis fans. But his stance on doping issues and his comments on the integrity of tennis are sparking new debates in the sport.