Nick Kyrgios says high-profile doping cases involving Grand Slam winners Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek are “disgusting” for tennis.
Sinner, Italian men’s world number one still faces threat of possible suspension after testing positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March.
Swiatek, also 23 years old, served a one-month suspension after testing positive for a banned heart medication in August, when the Pole was the women’s world number one.
“I just think it’s been handled horribly in our sport,” said Australian Kyrgios, 29.
“Two world number ones are arrested for doping, it’s disgusting for our sport.
“It’s a horrible look.”
Kyrgios is preparing to make his return to competition at the Brisbane International, following an 18-month injury absence since competing at the Stuttgart Open in June 2023.
Around this time, the sport’s major players, both men’s and women’s, were involved in controversy over the failure of their respective tests.
While the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of any wrongdoing after he twice tested positive for clostebol, the case was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has launched an appeal.
Swiatek agreed to a one-month ban, which ended on December 4, after the ITIA admitted that his positive test for trimetazidine (TMZ) was due to contamination with melatonin, a regulated over-the-counter drug .
The treatment of these two players has led to accusations of double standards, with the two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep says there were ‘completely different approaches’ to these cases compared to his own.
However, the ITIA categorically denies treating these cases differently.
Kyrgios said: “The integrity of tennis right now, and everyone knows it but no one wants to talk about it, is horrible.
“It’s not right. I know people don’t like me just talking about things, being honest about it.”
As well as making his singles return against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Kyrgios is expected to partner Novak Djokovic – seeking his 100th Tour title in Brisbane – in the men’s doubles competition.
