Nick Kyrgios has expressed his strong disapproval of the doping cases involving Grand Slam winners Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, calling the situation “disgusting” for the sport of tennis.
High-Profile Doping Cases
Italian men’s world number one Jannik Sinner remains under scrutiny after twice testing positive for an anabolic steroid in March. Meanwhile, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, also 23, served a one-month suspension in August for testing positive for a banned heart medication. At the time, Swiatek was the women’s world number one.
Kyrgios, 29, did not mince words when addressing the issue:
“I just think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world number ones both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look.”
Controversy and Criticism
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of intentional wrongdoing after detecting clostebol in his system. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the decision, taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Swiatek’s suspension stemmed from contamination of melatonin with the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ). She accepted the one-month ban, which concluded on December 4.
The contrasting outcomes have sparked accusations of inconsistent treatment. Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep criticized the disparity, stating there were “completely different approaches” compared to her own case. The ITIA has denied allegations of double standards.
Kyrgios Speaks Out
Kyrgios, set to return to competition at the Brisbane International after an 18-month injury absence, voiced his dissatisfaction:
“The tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it but no one wants to speak about it, is awful. It’s not okay. I know that people don’t like when I just speak out about things, be honest about things.”
Kyrgios’ Comeback
The Australian will face Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in singles action and partner Novak Djokovic in the men’s doubles competition. Djokovic is chasing his 100th Tour-level title in Brisbane.
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