The doping cases of Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek are “disgusting” for tennis – Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios says the high-profile doping cases involving Grand Slam winners Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek are “disgusting” for the sport of tennis.

Italian men’s world number one Sinner still faces a possible ban after testing positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March.

Swiatek, also 23, served a month-long ban after testing positive for a banned heart drug in August, when the Pole was number one in the women’s world rankings.

“I just think it’s handled terribly in our sport,” said 29-year-old Australian Kyrgios.

“The fact that two world number one players are both convicted of doping is disgusting for our sport.”

“It’s a terrible sight.”

Kyrgios is preparing for his return to competitive action at the Brisbane International after an 18-month absence due to injury since competing in the Stuttgart Open in June 2023.

During this period, controversy arose between the sport’s leading players in both the men’s and women’s ranks over their respective failed tests.

While the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of wrongdoing after he tested positive for Clostebol twice, the case was referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) appealed had inserted.

Swiatek accepted a one-month ban, which ended on December 4, after the ITIA acknowledged that her positive test for trimetazidine (TMZ) was caused by contamination with the regulated non-prescription drug melatonin.

The treatment of these two players has led to accusations of double standards, with two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep saying there were “completely different approaches” in those cases than her own.

However, the ITIA strongly denies that these cases are treated differently.

Kyrgios said: “The integrity of tennis at the moment, and everyone knows it but no one wants to talk about it, is terrible.”

“That’s not okay. I know people don’t like it when I just talk about things, be honest about things.”

As well as returning in the singles against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Kyrgios will also partner Novak Djokovic in the men’s doubles, who is aiming for his 100th tour title in Brisbane.