Stefanos Tsitsipas recently reacted to the ban on Nick Kyrgios for drug use, showing no signs of surprise. Tsitsipas claimed that he was aware of the Australian player’s cocaine use even before the suspension was announced publicly.
In a social media post on August 19, 2026, Kyrgios announced that he had tested positive for cocaine. The positive test occurred after the Australian player provided a sample at an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, in late June. The test was confirmed on July 17, with a mandatory provisional suspension that came on August 4, 2026.
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Tsitsipas was asked to share his view on the incident during the press conference after his first-round win at the US Open. The Greek tennis player stated that the news of the suspension did not come as a surprise, as he had already heard about the Australian’s drug-related behaviour on the tour. He added that he was only stunned that the suspension came so late.
“I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts. I will tell you that. I’m not going to try and cover up someone that I know the truth for. I’ll consider myself a nice person with everyone, but these were behaviors that I personally heard on the tour and heard other people in that same environment saying those sort of things to me. When I saw [the suspension], I was, like, well, pretty much expected, to be honest. I am surprised it came so late, though.”
In 2022, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios locked horns during the third round of the Wimbledon Championships. During the match, a frustrated Tsitsipas hit a ball in the crowd that nearly missed a spectator. The Australian demanded that Tsitsipas be defaulted, after which Tsitsipas referred to him as a “bully.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his US Open first-round win against Cincinnati Open champion
Stefanos Tsitsipas took on Cincinnati Open champion Arthur Fils during the first round of the US Open. The Frenchman won the first set 6-4 and took a 5-2 lead in the next. However, Tsitsipas fought back, broke Fils, forced a tie-break, and dominated the set. He kept up his momentum and won the next two sets.
In the post-match interview on court, Tsitsipas stated that he stopped thinking about expectations and pressure during the match. He added that he stayed calm and fought like a warrior, which helped him stage a comeback.
“I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say. It’s an amazing start to the tournament,” Tsitsipas said. “Guys, you had my back the entire match. Thank you so much. Let go of expectations. I feel like we can get dragged with a lot of expectations. Carrying that heavy boat is not easy during a match, especially when the psychological game of a match like that is crucial. It’s important to stay well composed and keep building on your game. I owe everything to letting go, not having any expectations, and just being a warrior, a Greek fighter. All the above.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Lloyd Harris in the second round.
Edited by Janhavi Shinde
