Brisbane: Nick Kyrgios has doubled down on his criticism of Jannik Sinner and his anti-doping case on the eve of the Australian’s much-anticipated return in Brisbane, accusing the world No.1 of trying to “cheat”.
Sinner avoided a ban after a five-month investigation, but was stripped of $325,000 prizemoney and his ranking points for reaching the Indian Wells semi-finals after twice testing positive in March to banned substance clostebol.
The defending Australian Open champion appealed both times, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted Sinner’s explanation that the contamination came from his physiotherapist continuing to massage him while using a healing spray that contained clostebol to treat a cut.
Nick Kyrgios during a practice session ahead of this summer’s Brisbane International. Credit: Getty Images
The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed the ITIA’s decision.
Kyrgios has been consistently outspoken about Sinner avoiding a ban – even mockingly labelling him “the Grinch” in a social media post this week – and was further angered when five-time major champion Iga Swiatek escaped with a one-month suspension for her own positive test.
He also warned he was “not going to shut up” about the issue.
“OK, [Sinner is] No.1 in the world, he is an amazing tennis player. I never said he’s not. I just think the treatment has to be fair for everyone,” Kyrgios said.
“I think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world No.1s both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport – it’s a horrible look. The tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful.
Nick Kyrgios has made his feelings about Jannik Sinner crystal clear.Credit: Getty/Fairfax Media/Aresna Villanueva
“It’s actually awful, and it’s not OK. I know that people don’t like when I just speak out about things, be honest about things … I can get emotional, I can throw a racquet, but that’s nothing compared to cheating and taking performance-enhancing drugs.
“That’s ridiculous, in my opinion.”
Kyrgios chats with American star Frances Tiafoe on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Australia’s Max Purcell is serving a provisional suspension that started on December 12 after admitting to an anti-doping breach, where he “unknowingly” received an intravenous infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100ml.
Kyrgios said that Purcell’s case was different because he self-reported his breach.
“I would never in my entire life ever try and dope in this sport,” Kyrgios said.
“Going through an injury like I went through, obviously there are things out there that could speed up healing, help me get back to prime level, help my recovery … [but] that’s just not who I am. I’m always against that.
“So, when people are saying that I’m disrespectful to the sport; I think someone like that [Sinner] who has tried to cheat the process, and actually not done it completely on their own merit, is the disrespectful one, in my opinion.
“I have to be outspoken about it because I don’t think there are enough people who are speaking about it. I think people are trying to sweep it under the rug.”
Kyrgios said he would likely never speak to a support team member again if they placed him in the same position as Sinner.
“I employ my team hundreds and thousands of dollars to be the professionals they are; to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.
“Why did they wait five to six months [through the investigation] to do anything about it? He kept his team for five months … like, if they knew about it two weeks after, why did you keep the same team?
“I’d be livid … [but] he had the guy on his team for five months, acting like nothing happened. That’s suss as anything, if you ask me.”
Kyrgios’ strong stance on Sinner – which the likes of Nicolas Mahut and Marion Bartoli have criticised – has somewhat overshadowed his return to the sport after knee and wrist injuries ruined the past two years of his career.
The 29-year-old, who warmed up for his official comeback with an exhibition set against Andrey Rublev in Abu Dhabi last week, will face big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in Brisbane on Monday in his first match since mid-last year.
Kyrgios, who was runner-up at Wimbledon in 2022, will also partner Novak Djokovic – a former sparring partner-turned-close friend – in the doubles in Brisbane.
“I honestly never thought I’d be back playing at this level, even entering an event like this, preparing, doing all the right things [after my surgeries],” he said.
Novak Djokovic hitting up after his arrival in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
“It was surreal to be back out there [hitting on Saturday]. I took it all in. I’m really excited to just go out there and just play tennis. I saw Novak in the gym, I’m playing doubles with him, [and there is] a lot to be excited about that I’m able to get out there and compete again.”
Kyrgios joked that he was giving Djokovic “the pleasure” of playing with him, but was deadly serious about the long road back from his wrist injury, where he was unable to even carry groceries or turn door knobs at its worst.
That is partly why the former world No.13 is not even daring to dream of an Australian Open title run – and is, in fact, barely thinking about the Melbourne grand slam at all.
“I’m just not going to take anything for granted,” Kyrgios said.
“I’m going to go out there and play. It’s literally going to be a day-by-day symptomatic injury moving forward. If I play a long match, jam it the right way, who knows how it’s going to pull up the next day? That’s the type of injury it is.
“I enjoy still being around tennis. I obviously commentate, and I’m going to be commentating for a long time. I didn’t have to put myself back in this position of the preparation, the training, the competing, dealing with all the media scrutiny, going out there and putting myself basically in the pressure cooker again.
“I still think I enjoy parts of the sport. That’s why I tried to go through the process, the hard process, of getting back.”
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