Nick Kyrgios’ response says it all as doping storm explodes

Nick Kyrgios has come from out of nowhere with a comment that’s raised eyebrows as tennis’ doping storm swirls.

Nick Kyrgios. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Nick Kyrgios has raised eyebrows with a truth bomb on top women’s player Maria Sakkari.

The Australian weighed in on the doping storm that has rocked the sport this week following the four-year ban handed to grand slam champion Simona Halep.

The 28-year-old was brutally honest in responding to comments from Sakkari that showed concern over the anti-doping measures players endure on the professional circuit.

Sakkari told a tennis news site players are not happy with the current level of testing and have fears about the supplements they take.

“One thing I can tell you for sure is the way they’re handling every situation with any player, any athlete, it’s just scary,” she said, according to Follow The Tours.

“We’re gonna get to a point where we’re not even gonna be taking electrolytes. Thankfully, I haven’t been in that position. I never want to be. I’ve been very careful with everything that has to do with supplements. But I don’t know what the process is, how things are done behind closed doors.

“I don’t know who has a say. I have no idea.. I would for sure improve the whereabouts app that the anti-doping app. It doesn’t work well. It’s supposed to remind you every day of your time slot and it doesn’t. They tried to improve it, but it’s not working very well. For us, we travel so much compared to other athletes. It’s just very stressful. I wake up almost every night to use the bathroom. If that’s close to my time slot, I’m just thinking ‘Do I go? Do I not go? Do I just wait if they come?’ It’s just very stressful.”

Nick Kyrgios withdrew from Wimbledon this year. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

Kyrgios’ reply has raised eyebrows — certainly among critics who have repeatedly questioned his professionalism.

“Ehhhh not really lol,” Kyrgios posted on Twitter in response to seeing Sakkari’s comment.

“I run on bananas and coke 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.”

Kyrgios responded to one Twitter user’s sledge by posting: “I’d imagine if I was taking similar things to be banned for 4 years I’d have about 5 slams. Potato”.

Kyrgios has continued to make headlines in his absence from the ATP Tour as he continues to recover from injuries.

Kyrgios has played just once in 2023 — a loss in Stuttgart, Germany, in June ahead of Wimbledon as a result of injuries.

He pulled out of the Australian Open this year with a knee injury and underwent surgery.

He then pulled out of the French Open and Wimbledon, citing a wrist injury.

Kyrgios earlier this month caused a stir when appearing to mock the quality of players in the US Open draw after a string of upsets in New York.

Nick Kyrgios. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images.

Meanwhile, the scandal surrounding Halep has continued to swirl in recent days with more evidence against the Romanian beginning to emerge.

The 31-year-old has been provisionally suspended since October last year after testing positive for the blood-boosting substance Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.

And in May the two-time Grand Slam singles champion was charged with a second anti-doping breach relating to irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

The charges were upheld by an independent panel.

Halep has announced she will appeal the decision.

On Friday it was revealed the panel had “strong grounds for suspicion” that Halep was using doping at Wimbledon in 2022.