Former World No.1 responds to Nick Kyrgios jibe after positive drugs test
Simona Halep has reminded Nick Kyrgios of what he said after she was suspended for a doping violation following the Australian's positive drug test for cocaine. The former World No.1 had a four-year ban by the International Tennis Federation reduced to nine months in 2022 after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Halep tested positive for roxadustat, an anti-anaemia medication that stimulates the production of haemoglobin and red blood cells, at the 2022 US Open. However, it was later agreed that she had unintentionally used the banned substance, likely by ingesting a contaminated substance, although CAS acknowledged that the former French Open and Wimbledon champion bore some level of fault or negligence.
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Days after the International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) suspended Halep for four years, Kyrgios responded to comments Maria Sakkari made about her fellow WTA player's case, in which she said: "The way they're handling every situation with any player, any athlete, it's just scary. We're gonna get to a point where we're not even gonna be taking electrolytes."
Replying to a post on X, he said: "Ehhhh not really lol, I run on bananas and Coca-Cola in 5 set battles. And my record in them speaks for itself. Maybe players should just stop taking shady sh*t, look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day, and say yep, I did it right. Not hard."
A user on the social media platform responded to Kyrgios by saying: "You are an idiot! Halep didn't take that substance willingly, and the amount didn't enhance performance to a degree where it could affect a match!" He then replied, "Ok, so why did she get banned for 4 years then?"
Kyrgios also said in response to another reply, which has since been deleted: "I'd imagine if I was taking similar things to be banned for 4 years, I'd have about 5 slams. Potato."
Three years on, Halep has referenced those comments by sharing a photo of a glass Coca-Cola bottle and a bunch of bananas on her Instagram story. In a follow-up post, she says: "Never kick someone when they're down. Life has a strange way of changing positions and an even stranger way of revealing the difference between an accident and a choice."
Kyrgios has called his doping violation "a huge mistake". He announced his in an Instagram story post, saying: "I wanted you to hear it from me first. I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake, and I take full responsibility for it.
'I am sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors, and everyone close to me. Above all, I'm sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets, and I'm deeply disappointed in myself."
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