From Wimbledon finalist to provisional ban - Nick Kyrgios says he made "a huge mistake" after a positive test for cocaine brings his turbulent comeback to a shuddering halt.

Well, this is not the comeback story anyone expected.

In a dramatic twist reported by cbinews.tv, former world No. 13 Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine.

According to details published by cbinews.tv, the 31-year-old Aussie provided a sample during the Mallorca Open on 22 June - where he lost in the first round of singles to Adam Walton - which later came back positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended since 4 August and noted that while he could appeal the provisional ban, he has "not done so to date".

That provisional suspension is comprehensive. As it stands, he cannot play, coach at or even attend any Grand Slam or ATP and WTA Tour-sanctioned event until a tribunal decides his fate.

Taking to Instagram, Kyrgios was unusually contrite. He said he made "a huge mistake" and takes "full responsibility" for it.

In a lengthy, raw statement, he opened up about the toll of the last few years:

"My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do. Coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined. None of that excuses what I did."

He has now said he will step away from social media and public life for the next 28 days to "focus on getting myself right" and apologised to his fans, family, sponsors and "above all, to the kids who follow me."

Some important contexts here;

This is a big deal for tennis, but it's not uncharted territory.

Cocaine is listed as a stimulant and a Substance of Abuse under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. If it's taken out-of-competition and unrelated to performance, players can get a reduced sanction of as little as one to three months if they complete a treatment programme.

Because Kyrgios' sample was taken in-competition during a tournament he was actually playing in, that reduced route is much harder to argue, and sanctions can stretch up to two years, or four if intent to enhance performance is proven.

British fans will remember this story all too well. Dan Evans, the British No.1, tested positive for cocaine in 2017 and served a 12-month ban. Before him, Richard Gasquet famously argued his positive test in 2009 came from kissing a woman in a nightclub - the infamous "cocaine kiss" defence - and got just two and a half months. Martina Hingis received a two-year ban after testing positive for benzoylecgonine at Wimbledon in 2007, though she always denied intentionally taking it.

It's particularly striking because Kyrgios himself has been so vocal about anti-doping. He was highly critical of the handling of Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek's recent anti-doping cases, calling the process "disgusting" for tennis.

On court, it's been a brutal few years for him anyway. The 2022 Wimbledon finalist - where he lost to Novak Djokovic - and seven-time ATP singles title winner has played just four singles matches this season. Knee and wrist injuries have kept him sidelined, with his last appearance coming in the men's doubles first round at Wimbledon alongside Alexander Bublik.

Off court, he has long been one of the sport's most controversial figures - fined heavily for racquet smashing and arguing with umpires, and criticised for misogynistic comments, including sharing a post from influencer Andrew Tate in 2024. In 2023 he admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend two years earlier but avoided a criminal conviction. He has also been open about his mental health struggles, revealing he spent time in a psychiatric hospital in London after Wimbledon in 2019.

For now, tennis waits for the tribunal.

Reporting: cbinews.tv

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