Nick Kyrgios, one of the most talented and polarizing figures in professional tennis, has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the suspension on August 19, 2026. Kyrgios, 31, provided a sample during the ATP 250 Mallorca Open in Spain on June 22 that returned a positive result for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. A WADA-accredited laboratory confirmed the finding on July 17, and the mandatory provisional suspension has been in place since August 4.
In a lengthy Instagram statement, Kyrgios took full responsibility, calling the failed test a “huge mistake” and apologizing to fans, family, sponsors, and especially to young people who follow him. He cited years of injuries, mental health struggles, and the difficulty of facing the end of his career.
As the tennis world processes the news, attention has also turned to the people closest to Kyrgios during this period. Chief among them is Danai Stamati, the Melbourne-based psychologist he has been dating since early 2026. Here is what is known about the suspension, its consequences, and the woman who has been by his side through this turbulent chapter.
What Happened: The Positive Test and Suspension
On June 22, 2026, Nick Kyrgios provided a routine drug test sample during the ATP 250 Mallorca Open. He lost in the first round of that tournament to fellow Australian Adam Walton. On July 17, a WADA-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite.
Notably, between the sample collection and the lab confirmation, Kyrgios played doubles at Wimbledon. He and partner Alexander Bublik received a wild card entry and lost in the first round.
A mandatory provisional suspension was applied on August 4. The ITIA made the announcement public on August 19. Kyrgios has not appealed the suspension.
BREAKING: Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine 🚨
The Aussie submitted a sample on June 22 during the Mallorca Open. The sample was later found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. pic.twitter.com/kfo1yKhOEi
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 19, 2026
What the suspension means
While provisionally suspended, Kyrgios is barred from playing in, coaching at, or attending any events organized or sanctioned by World Tennis, the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam tournaments, or national tennis associations. A tribunal will determine the final outcome.
The potential penalties range from a baseline three-month ban (if Kyrgios can demonstrate the cocaine was used out of competition) to up to four years, if the use is found to have occurred in competition. His sample was collected during a tournament, which complicates the lighter-sanction path.
Kyrgios’s statement
Kyrgios addressed the situation on Instagram Stories:
“I wanted you to hear this 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’m 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.”
He went on to provide context without making excuses: “The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.”
He described the suspension as “a wake-up call” and said he would step away from social media and public life to focus on getting himself right.
The Irony: Kyrgios’s Own Words on Doping
The suspension carries an unavoidable layer of irony. In January 2026, as he prepared for the Brisbane International, Kyrgios had been among the most vocal critics of doping cases involving other top players.
He called the handling of positive tests involving world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and former No. 1 Iga Swiatek “disgusting for our sport” and “a horrible look.” He went further, saying he would never use banned substances himself: “There are things out there that could speed up healing, help me get back to prime level, help my recovery. There’s so many things out there that are prohibited in our sport that I could have been doing to help. But I didn’t do it, because I stayed true to the sport.”
Seven months later, he tested positive.
The contrast has not been lost on tennis fans or media. Many have pointed to it as a defining example of the gap between Kyrgios’s public persona and his private struggles.
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Who Is Danai Stamati? Kyrgios’s Girlfriend
Danai Stamati is a Melbourne-based professional originally from Nafpaktos, a coastal town in western Greece. She and Kyrgios share Greek heritage, as Kyrgios’s father, George, is of Greek descent and his mother, Norlaila (known as Nill), is of Malaysian background.
According to multiple Australian outlets, Stamati works in psychology and has a professional background in supporting people through difficult circumstances. She has also been reported to work at Metricon, a major home-building company in Australia. She is set to turn 24 in September 2026.
Unlike several of Kyrgios’s previous partners, Stamati does not have a significant public or social media profile. She has maintained a low-key presence, even as her relationship with one of Australia’s most recognizable athletes has drawn attention.
How they got together
Kyrgios and Stamati reportedly began dating in January 2026, though they kept the relationship private for several months. The first public hint came in March 2026, when the pair attended a basketball game in Australia together. Shortly after, Kyrgios posted a photo of them walking hand-in-hand, with her face partially hidden, and the caption “life keeps surprising me.”
The official confirmation came on April 27, 2026, Kyrgios’s 31st birthday. Stamati posted an Instagram Story that read: “Happy birthday, handsome boy. Proud of you every day.” Kyrgios reshared it and, during a fan Q&A session on Instagram, confirmed that they had been together for about three months.
Connection with Kyrgios’s family
One of the indicators that the relationship is serious is the connection with Kyrgios’s family. Stamati has been photographed spending time with Kyrgios’s niece and nephew. His mother, Nill, follows Stamati on Instagram. She was also present at the Stuttgart Open in June 2026, cheering for Kyrgios during his winning return to competitive tennis.
After his straight-sets victory over Corentin Moutet at Stuttgart, Stamati wrote on Instagram: “So incredibly proud of you, words cannot even explain. Hard work pays off.” Kyrgios replied with an equally affectionate message.
What sets this relationship apart
Kyrgios has had several high-profile relationships. He dated fellow tennis players Ajla Tomljanovic and Anna Kalinskaya, and was in a three-year relationship with influencer and entrepreneur Costeen Hatzi from late 2021 to March 2025. That relationship, in particular, was one of the most visible in Australian sport and was featured in Netflix’s tennis documentary series Breakpoint.
His relationship with Stamati has been markedly different in tone. It has been quieter, more private, and less social-media-driven. Whether that reflects a conscious choice by Kyrgios to handle things differently as he approaches the end of his career, or simply the preferences of his current partner, is not something either has publicly addressed. But the difference is noticeable.
Nick Kyrgios: Career in Context
Born on April 27, 1995, in Canberra, Australia, Kyrgios announced himself to the tennis world at 19 when he defeated then-world No. 1 Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014 as a qualifier. The performance marked the arrival of a player with extraordinary natural talent: a serve that could touch 230 km/h, a feel for the game that coaches described as generational, and a charisma that made him one of the most watchable players on tour.
He reached a career-high ranking of No. 13 in the world and made the 2022 Wimbledon singles final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. That same year, he won the Australian Open men’s doubles title with partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.
The controversies
Kyrgios has been one of the most penalized players in ATP history. He has been fined for smashing rackets, verbally abusing officials, tanking games, and making inappropriate comments about other players. In 2015, he was suspended for 28 days after making a vulgar comment about Stan Wawrinka’s girlfriend during a match. He has been polarizing in a way few tennis players have managed, simultaneously attracting passionate fans and fierce critics.
The injuries and the decline
From mid-2023 onward, Kyrgios was sidelined by a series of knee and wrist injuries that kept him off the tour for extended periods. He attempted comebacks at the 2026 Australian Open (withdrawing from singles, losing in doubles first round) and at the Stuttgart Open in June 2026 (where he won a match before being eliminated). His current world ranking is 919.
He has spoken openly about how difficult the transition away from competitive tennis has been. “I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis. Tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face,” he wrote in his Instagram statement after the positive test.
He has also discussed his mental health publicly, including past struggles with depression and periods where he questioned whether he wanted to continue in the sport at all.
What Happens Next
The ITIA will prosecute the case through a tribunal. Kyrgios has the right to appeal the provisional suspension but has not done so. The tribunal will determine whether the cocaine was used in or out of competition, which directly affects the length of the ban.
If found to have been an out-of-competition use, reduced sanctions apply under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme for substances classified as “substances of abuse,” which cocaine is. That could mean a ban as short as three months. If the use is classified as in-competition (the sample was taken during a tournament), the ban could extend up to four years.
The career question
Even before the positive test, Kyrgios’s competitive future was uncertain. At 31, ranked 919th, and with two years of persistent injuries behind him, the practical question of whether he would return to top-level tennis was already being discussed. This suspension adds another layer.
In his statement, Kyrgios called the episode a “wake-up call” and said he intended to use the next 28 days to “get himself right.” Whether that leads to a return to the sport, a transition to commentary (he has worked as a tennis analyst for ESPN), or something else entirely remains to be seen.
Stamati’s role
While Kyrgios has said he is stepping away from public life, the presence of Stamati appears to represent a stabilizing element in his personal life during a period of genuine professional and personal crisis. Her background in psychology, her connection with his family, and the quieter nature of their relationship all contrast with some of the more turbulent dynamics of his past.
Nick Kyrgios: Relationship Timeline
| Period | Partner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-2017 | Ajla Tomljanovic | Fellow Australian tennis player; high-profile relationship |
| 2019-2020 | Anna Kalinskaya | Russian tennis player; brief and ended with public tension |
| 2020-2021 | Chiara Passari | Melbourne-based; relationship was marked by public incidents |
| Late 2021 – March 2025 | Costeen Hatzi | Influencer and entrepreneur; longest and most public relationship; featured in Netflix’s Breakpoint |
| January 2026 – present | Danai Stamati | Melbourne-based psychologist; relationship confirmed April 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Nick Kyrgios suspended?
He was provisionally suspended by the ITIA after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. The sample was taken on June 22, 2026, during the ATP 250 Mallorca Open in Spain.
How long is Nick Kyrgios suspended for?
He is provisionally suspended pending a tribunal. The final ban could range from three months (if cocaine use is classified as out of competition) to up to four years (if classified as in competition).
Who is Nick Kyrgios’s girlfriend?
Kyrgios is dating Danai Stamati, a Melbourne-based professional originally from Nafpaktos, Greece. They have been together since January 2026 and went public in April 2026 on his 31st birthday.
What does Danai Stamati do?
Stamati works in psychology and has also been reported to work at Metricon, a home-building company in Australia. She maintains a low public profile compared to Kyrgios’s previous partners.
How old is Danai Stamati?
She is 23, turning 24 in September 2026.
Did Kyrgios criticize other players for doping before his own positive test?
Yes. In January 2026, he called the doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek “disgusting for our sport” and said he would never use banned substances himself. He tested positive five months later.
What is Nick Kyrgios’s current world ranking?
As of August 2026, he is ranked 919th in the world, a reflection of extended injury absences rather than competitive results.
Can Nick Kyrgios still play tennis after the suspension?
That depends on the tribunal’s ruling. If the ban is on the shorter end (three months), a return is theoretically possible. A four-year ban would effectively end his professional career.
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Last Updated on August 20, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
