Nick Kyrgios believes tennis is 'cooked' after a second world no.1 received a minor suspension for breaching doping regulations in 2024.
Current world No. 2 Iga Swiatek was banned for one month after testing positive for heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024.
The Pole, who was world no.1 at the time of her positive test, joins fellow top-star Jannik Sinner as players facing doping investigations this year.
With the investigation into Sinner's breach still ongoing, Kyrgios shared a post from Zimbabwean tennis player Ben Lock, before commenting on the doping issues himself.
MORE: Nick Kyrgios calls for revolutionary change at grand slam tournaments
"1 month ban. It’s not even April fools day. Don’t play with us like that. Two number 1s in the world failing drug tests in the same year is wild," Lock posted in the message that Kyrgios shared.
1 month ban 😆 It’s not even April fools day. Don’t play with us like that. Two number 1s in the world failing drug tests in the same year is wild.
— Benjamin Lock (@Benjamm1ng) November 28, 2024
Kyrgios aired his opinion on the doping breaches in a series of posts, while also conversing with fans on the issue.
"Our sport is cooked," Kyrgios wrote alongside Lock's post.
In a separate post Kyrgios said: "The excuse that we can all use is that we didn’t know. Simply didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of sport can now just say 'we didn't know'."
The excuse that we can all use is that we didn’t know. Simply didn’t know. Professionals at the highest level of sport can now just say “we didn’t know” 👏
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) November 29, 2024
Sinner was cleared of any serious doping violations by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, but that verdict is currently facing an appeal from World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who are seeking a one-to-year suspension.
How long is Iga Swiatek's doping suspension?
Swiatek has received a one-month suspension.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the player's explanation that the positive test was a result of contamination of regulated non-prescription medication melatonin.
The medication was manufactured and sold in Poland and was taken by Swiatek for jet lag and sleep issues.
As a result, her level of fault was considered to be at the lowest end of the range for 'No Significant Fault or Negligence'.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended after her US Open quarter-final loss, which saw her miss the Korea Open, China Open and Wuhan Open.
Her suspension was not made public, with her absence attributed to personal matters and a coaching change.
Swiatek was provisionally suspended from September 12 before making a successful appeal.
Her provisional suspension was lifted on October 4, and she returned to the court in November at the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup finals.
She must now serve the eight remaining days of her suspension, which will last until December 4.
The Polish player is also required to forfeit her prize money from the Cincinnati Open, with the tournament played immediately after her test.
"In the last two-and-a-half months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence," Swiatek wrote on Instagram.
"The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance I've never heard about before, put everything I've worked so hard for my entire life into question.
"Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained, and with a clean slate I can go back to what I love most."
