Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he tested positive for cocaine, describing the incident on Wednesday as a significant “wake up call” and expressing feelings of being “helpless and alone.”
The outspoken former Wimbledon finalist shared the news on his Instagram Story. He has been under provisional suspension since August 4th following a failed drug test on June 22nd, which occurred during a grass court tournament in Mallorca, Spain.
Facing a potential ban from tennis that could extend from three months to four years, Kyrgios’s fate hinges on whether the cocaine use was during competition. A lesser penalty may be considered if it was not.
According to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the 31-year-old has the option to appeal his provisional suspension. However, he has yet to take any formal action.
“I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine,” Kyrgios admitted on Instagram. “I made a huge mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.”
“I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.”
Kyrgios, who once reached No. 13, is now ranked 919th.
His best year came in 2022, when he won the Australian Open men’s doubles final with Thanasi Kokkinakis and made a men’s singles finals appearance at Wimbledon but lost to Novak Djokovic.
Since then, the Aussie’s career has been derailed by injuries, which he admitted were difficult to come to terms with.
“I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been,” he continued. “The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
“I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis — tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone.
“None of that excuses what I did.”
After his Wimbledon final in 2022, Kyrgios won his seventh singles title by beating Yoshihito Nishioka at the DC Open. He later reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals, losing to Karen Khachanov.
He later suffered a knee injury in October 2022 and only played once over the next two years. He missed Wimbledon in 2023 due to a wrist injury.
His most high-profile match since then was a “Battle of the Sexes” win over Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai in December 2025.
This season, Kyrgios has a 1-3 men’s singles recrod and he received a wild card to play doubles at Wimbledon in July. Yet he lost in the first round with partner Alexander Bublik.
It was after the grass court slam on July 17 that it was confirmed Kyrgios tested positive.
“The good news is that this has given me a wake up call,” he said. “For the next 28 days, I’ll be stepping away from social media and public life while I focus on getting myself right. I’d ask that people respect my privacy during that time, and most importantly the privacy of my family.
“I’m sorry. I’ll do the work and come back better.”