By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, September 4, 2026
Photo credit: Brisbane International Facebook
NEW YORK—Nick Kyrgios could be back on court this season.
Kyrgios accepted a one-month ban from tennis after testing positive for cocaine at the ATP tournament in Mallorca, Spain, the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced.
The 31-year-old Kyrgios, who has been provisionally suspended since August 4th, has entered a drug treatment program, according to the ITIA. Kyrgios’ one-month ban is contingent on him completing his treatment program. If Kyrgios completes treatment, he will be eligible to play this month, as his suspension ended on September 3rd.
Here’s an excerpt of the ITIA statement on Kyrgios case:
“The ITIA consulted an independent scientific expert at a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory, who stated that the explanation was consistent with the level of cocaine found in his sample. As a result, the ITIA accepted that Kyrgios’ use of cocaine was outside of competition.
“Under WADA rules, the default suspension for a breach of this type is three months, which can be further reduced to one month if the individual commits to a treatment program approved by the ITIA.
“Kyrgios has entered into a treatment program. As such, the player’s suspension will end on 3 September 2026, subject to completion of the program. Prize money and ranking points from the Mallorca event will be forfeited.“
The mercurial Kyrgios shared he tested positive for cocaine following a failed drug test in Spain in a social media post on August 19th.
“I wanted you to hear this from me first. I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine,” Kyrgios said in a statement posted to his Instagram page.
“I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it.”
The Good Trouble podcast host said he found trouble with cocaine after suffering a slew of injuries that “have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally.”
In a statement to Instagram Stories, Kyrgios apologized to his family, friends and fans.
“Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself,” Kyrgios in his post. “I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been.
“The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally.
“My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
“I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis – tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone.”
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