Nick Kyrgios is known for his straightforward nature and aggressive play style, having clinched seven titles. However, he has been sidelined since June 2023 due to wrist and knee injuries. Despite his absence from the court, Kyrgios has remained connected to tennis through his commentary work with ESPN and BBC during major tournaments like the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He’s also unafraid to voice his opinions on social media.

Recently, Jannik Sinner has been embroiled in a doping controversy that drew Kyrgios’s sharp criticism. Kyrgios believes Sinner deserves a two-year ban following WADA’s renewed investigation into his case stating, “Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned substance (steroid)…you should be gone for two years.” Yet, Sinner remained undeterred on the court. Ending the year with eight titles, including two Grand Slam victories, while maintaining his World No. 1 status. His success is largely credited to coach Darren Cahill, who joined Sinner’s team in July 2022.

On December 9, Tennis Australia announced Cahill as the recipient of the 2024 Coaching Excellence (Performance) award. Kyrgios responded with a cheeky remark: “This is a joke right 😂 – have some class and integrity people.” This highlights that while Sinner excels, he and his team remain under scrutiny from the critics in the tennis community.

Additionally, he hasn’t limited his comments to Sinner only. He also weighed in on Iga Swiatek’s recent doping controversy, after news broke last month that she received a one-month ban and a fine for her positive tests back in September. The Aussie did not hold back from what he thought of the situation.

Kyrgios gets blunt about the top players and their doping controversies.

On December 5th, Nick Kyrgios ramped up his commentary on the ongoing doping controversies in tennis, seemingly taking aim at both Sinner and Swiatek. He tweeted, “Feels good getting these consecutive days training in the bank man…. Wrist reconstruction and back out here… blessed… Without failing any drug tests 🙂‍↕️🙏🏽 be proud kygs doing it the right way 😩😂.” His comments come in light of Sinner testing positive for Clostebol and Swiatek for trimetazidine (TMZ), both of whom received provisional suspensions. While Sinner served only a few days before WADA appealed to CAS, Swiatek faced a month-long ban.

It’s well-known that Kyrgios has been vocal about his views on doping in tennis. Regarding Swiatek, he tweeted, “The excuse that we can all use is that we didn’t know. Simply didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of sport can now just say ‘We didn’t know.” He also criticized current players for setting poor examples for younger generations.

As Kyrgios prepares to return to the court, he is feeling optimistic. After undergoing wrist reconstruction and battling through intense rehab, he stated, “Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years.” His first match since June 2023 will be at the Brisbane International, where he hopes to reclaim his competitive edge. With a protected ranking of No. 21 allowing him entry into the Australian Open starting January 12, 2025. Do you think this talented Aussie can make a statement upon his return? Share your thoughts in the comments below!