Overview
- Nick Kyrgios revealed on Aug. 19 that a WADA‑accredited lab confirmed benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, in a sample he gave in late June at the Mallorca ATP 250.
- A mandatory provisional suspension was imposed on Aug. 4 and Kyrgios is barred from ATP, WTA and Grand Slam events while a tribunal decides final sanctions.
- Under tennis and WADA rules the maximum ban for a substance of abuse can reach four years, but penalties can be reduced if the ingestion is judged to have occurred out of competition or other mitigating factors are accepted.
- Stefanos Tsitsipas told reporters at the U.S. Open that he knew about the test before it was made public, comments that revive their past rivalry and increase reputational scrutiny of Kyrgios.
- Beyond immediate sporting consequences, the case will affect Kyrgios' career and earnings, focus attention on player welfare and testing procedures, and test how the tour handles confidential information before hearings conclude.