Nick Kyrgios was cleared to return to competitive action after being given and serving a reduced one-month ban under tennis' anti-doping rules.
Kyrgios was provisionally suspended on August 4 after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, after an ATP Tour event in Mallorca, Spain, in June. He said he used cocaine socially before he was due to compete in Mallorca.
The ITIA reviewed Kyrgios explanation with the help of an independent scientific expert from a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory.
The expert believed that the level of the substance detected in the player’s sample was consistent with his claim that the drug had been taken outside competition.
According to anti-doping rules, an out-of-competition cocaine violation carries a standard three-month suspension, which can be reduced to one month if the athlete agrees to participate in an approved treatment programme.
Kyrgios did so and was in the ITIA-approved programme, and his suspension was shortened.
The Australian has also felt the financial repercussions for the Mallorca incident. He lost the €6,570 in prize money and ranking points he won at the tournament; he lost his opening match to fellow Australian Adam Walton.
Kyrgios is at a sensitive stage of his career at the moment. The former world No. 13 has been suffering from serious wrist and knee problems for much of the last few years and has hardly made any ATP Tour appearances. He played only four official ATP singles matches in 2026 before his suspension.
His most recent match was at Wimbledon in the men’s doubles on 2 July with Alexander Bublik. The pair was eliminated in the first round.
Kyrgios’ only major singles point is his historic run to the Wimbledon final in 2022, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic.
Kyrgios admitted the failed test was a “huge mistake” and he took responsibility for it. He said the physical and emotional pain of years of injuries had been a lot of his struggle but said this was not an excuse for his conduct. He said he would step off social media and public life for the time being to heal.
Kyrgios return will be eagerly awaited by tennis fans and his recovery from injury and off-court issues is also a big deal because his fitness and confidence and match intelligence will be rebuilt.
