Former World No. 1 Simona Halep has responded to Nick Kyrgios following his positive cocaine test, referencing his previous harsh remarks about her own doping ban.
Kyrgios revealed on Wednesday that he has been provisionally suspended from professional tennis after a sample taken in Mallorca on June 22 tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. The 31-year-old Australian stated he takes "full responsibility" for the positive test and expressed deep disappointment in himself. He has been suspended since August 4, preventing him from participating in, coaching at, or attending any professional tennis events.
Kyrgios has been a vocal critic of performance-enhancing drug use in tennis, frequently targeting players who have faced doping violations. In 2023, he publicly criticized Halep, then serving a ban for a doping infraction, calling her a "potato" and suggesting her punishment indicated she was using performance-enhancing substances.
"I'd imagine if I was taking similar things to be banned for 4 years, I'd have about 5 slams. Potato," Kyrgios wrote at the time. "I run on bananas and coke cola in 5 set battles. And my record in them speaks for itself. Maybe players should just stop taking shady s***."
Following Kyrgios' admission, Halep took to Instagram, posting a photo of a bottle of Coca-Cola and bananas, a clear allusion to Kyrgios' past comments. She later added, "Never kick someone when they're down. Life has a strange way of changing positions and an even stranger way of revealing the difference between an accident and a choice."
Kyrgios, in his social media statement, acknowledged the mistake and apologized to fans, family, sponsors, and children who follow him. He cited recent years of injuries and the mental toll of nearing the end of his career as contributing factors to his state of mind, but emphasized that these circumstances did not excuse his actions. He announced he would be stepping away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his well-being.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed Kyrgios' provisional suspension, noting that benzoylecgonine is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) Prohibited List. Cocaine is classified as a stimulant and a substance of abuse. While banned in competition, lesser sanctions can apply for substances of abuse used out of competition. The ITIA stated that a provisional suspension is mandatory due to the nature of the substance. Kyrgios has the right to appeal the suspension but has not yet done so.