08/31/26 04:41:00
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08/31 16:39 CDT Stefanos Tsitsipas says Nick Kyrgios' cocaine suspension was
'pretty much expected'
Stefanos Tsitsipas says Nick Kyrgios' cocaine suspension was 'pretty much
expected'
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Stefanos Tsitsipas was not surprised that Nick Kyrgios was
suspended from tennis for drugs.
"Pretty much expected, to be honest," Tsitsipas said. "I am surprised it came
so late, though."
Kyrgios was banned earlier this month after he revealed he tested positive for
cocaine in June when he was in Spain to play at an event. The Australian could
be suspended for four years, though a lighter punishment is expected.
Tsitsipas was asked about Kyrgios on Monday after upsetting No. 10-seeded
Arthur Fils in the first round of the U.S. Open.
"I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the
announcement. Myself, I knew about it," Tsitsipas said.
"So what can I tell you? I will just tell you the truth. I knew about all of
this before any announcement was made, and when I saw it on social media, I
was, like, ?Here we go.' I kind of expected it, to be honest."
Tsitsipas and Kyrgios played a fiery match at Wimbledon in 2022, when Kyrgios
reached his only Grand Slam final. Tsitsipas blasted a couple shots directly at
Kyrgios, intentionally hit a ball into the crowd, and afterward called Kyrgios
a "bully."
Kyrgios has largely battled injuries since and said when he was suspended that
he had felt "helpless and alone," though added that "none of that excuses what
I did."
Nor did it come as a shock to Tsitsipas.
"I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts.
I will tell you that," he said. "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."
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