Tsitsipas doesn't hold back about Kyrgios's positive cocaine test: "I'm not going to cover for him when I know the truth"'

Stefanos Tsitsipas has admitted that he was not surprised that Nick Kyrgios was suspended from tennis for drug use (he tested positive for cocaine after a tournament in Mallorca).

To be completely honest, I already knew about this before the announcement. I knew it myself

Tsitsipas

"To be honest, it was something to be expected... Although I'm surprised it took so long to become known," the Greek player admitted about the controversial Australian tennis player, who could face a four-year suspension.

'Tsitsipas, who spoke about the "Kyrgios case" after defeating Artur Fils in the first round of the US Open, admitted that "to be completely honest, I was already aware of this before the announcement. I knew it myself".'

"What can I tell you? I'll simply tell you the truth. I knew all of this before any announcement was made and, when I saw it on social media, I thought: "Here we go." To be honest, I was expecting it," he insisted.

Tsitsipas on Kyrgios' positive cocaine test: "I knew those were things happening off the tennis courts"

Tsitsipas, who called Kyrgios a "bully" after an intense and controversial match at Wimbledon in 2022 (in which the Greek fired a couple of balls at the Australian), stated that "I knew those were things that happened off the tennis courts. I can assure you of that."

These were behaviors that I personally became aware of on the circuit; I heard other people from that same environment tell me similar things

Tsitsipas

"I’m not going to try to cover for someone when I know the truth. I consider myself a kind person to everyone, but these were behaviors I became personally aware of on the tour; I heard other people from that same environment tell me similar things," said the Greek tennis player.

Kyrgios, tennis's most tormented soul, falls back into his hells: drugs, self-harm, suicide, abuse...

The Australian Nick Kyrgios relapsed into his demons again when it seemed he had left behind his hell of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, drugs, alcohol, abuse...

His latest incident has been his positive test for cocaine, for which he has been temporarily suspended.

"Recently I tested positive for cocaine in an anti-doping control in Mallorca. I made a serious mistake and I take full responsibility for it. I am not going to make excuses, but I want to provide context for the situation I was in. The last two years, marked by injuries, have taken an enormous toll, both physically and mentally. My body was not able to respond to what my mind demanded of it, and accepting that I am approaching the end of my career has been more difficult than I ever imagined," acknowledged the 33-year-old Australian tennis player on his Instagram account.

Kyrgios self-harmed by cutting and burning himself during his alcohol and drug crisis: "I hated my life"

Nick Kyrgios admitted in an interview given in 2022 to the Australian channel "Nine" his struggle with his mental health problems: "Balance is something I find hard to deal with. I have always been like that since I was a child. Matches were always a roller coaster."

I even ended up cutting and burning myself in some pretty fucked-up shit

Kyrgios

"“I really try hard. Sometimes it’s a struggle for me. Some days I wake up and come to the courts or I wake up and just don’t want to leave my room. I deal with normal human issues, but I’m also proud of myself. I go out, keep my head down, and play well. It’s not easy to do it week after week”… I’m two very different people on and off the court,” he explained.

Kyrgios on his mental health problems: "They were very serious... to the point of self-harming"

Nick Kyrgios did not hesitate when answering how serious the mental health problems he suffered in 2019 were: "They were very serious... to the point that I ended up self-harming my arm... and that is not okay".

I guess I pushed away everyone who cared about me and I wasn't communicating. I just shut out real life and was trying to handle and confront my problems head-on

Kyrgios

The intense emotional pain led Kyrgios to "cut and burn myself in some pretty fucked-up shit."

"I felt like I was disappointing people all the time. I felt worthless and hated my life at one point," he admitted.

"I guess I pushed away everyone who cared about me and I wasn’t communicating. I just shut out real life and was trying to manage and tackle my problems head-on. I was abusing alcohol and drugs a lot, and that got out of control," the Australian tennis player admitted.

'Kyrgios: "I had suicidal thoughts and struggled to get out of bed and play in front of millions of people"'

In February 2020, Kyrgios had already spoken about his serious personal crisis in 2019: "I had suicidal thoughts and was, literally, struggling to get out of bed and play in front of millions of people. I was alone, depressed, negative, abusing alcohol and drugs that drove me away from family and friends. I couldn't talk to anyone or trust anyone."

How did Nick Kyrgios overcome his major personal crisis in 2019?

Nick Kyrgios explains that he overcame that crisis thanks to his family and to "adopting healthier habits such as diet, sleeping well, trying to train a little more".

"Now I hardly drink, I literally have a glass of wine with dinner," Kyrgios explains in the interview.

People really didn't care who I was as a human being, only just a tennis player... the crazy tennis player

Nick Kyrgios

'For the Australian tennis player, it was "exhausting" dealing with people who "really didn’t care who I was as a human being, only just a tennis player... the crazy tennis player," and he acknowledges that he has felt "used."'

'Kyrgios acknowledges that he has a love-hate relationship with tennis: "I love the sport; I’m a great student of the game and sometimes I enjoy watching tennis. But I like it only up to a point. It’s my life and I’ve devoted hours and hours to it that I’m never going to get back".'

Kyrgios cited mental health issues to dismiss the abuse charge

Nick Kyrgios' legal representatives argued before an Australian court in 2022 that the tennis player suffers from mental health problems with the aim of dismissing the abuse charges brought against him.

The EFE agency reported that the tennis player was accused of one count of common assault for allegedly abusing Chiara Passari—his ex-girlfriend—in December 2021.

Kyrgios and Passari reportedly had a heated argument due to the tennis player's alleged infidelity, with the police having to intervene to calm the situation.

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