"Maybe players should just stop taking shady sh*t" - Nick Kyrgios challenges Maria Sakkari's remarks on doping authorities after Simona Halep's ban

Maria Sakkari (L), Simona Halep (inset) and Nick Kyrgios (R)
Maria Sakkari (L), Simona Halep (inset) and Nick Kyrgios (R)

Nick Kyrgios recently raised objections to Maria Sakkari's concerns regarding doping authorities in light of Simona Halep's four-year ban from the sport due to two doping violations. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) delivered its verdict on Tuesday, September 12.

After a win over Camila Osorio in the Round of 16 at the 2023 San Diego Open this week, Sakkari was asked about her confidence in the doping authorities and their methods, in the wake of Halep's suspension.

In response, the Greek expressed unease over the ITIA's handling of matters, describing it as "scary."

"One thing I can tell you for sure is the way they are handling every situation with any player, any athlete, it is just scary. We are gonna get to a point where we are not even gonna be taking electrolytes. Thankfully, I have not been in that position. I never want to be," Maria Sakkari said (via nine.com.au).

Sakkari also voiced her concerns regarding the ITIA's 'whereabouts' application, stating that "it does not work well."

"I’ve been very careful with everything that has to do with supplements. But I do not know what the process is, how things are done behind closed doors. I do not know who has a say. I have no idea. I would for sure improve the whereabouts app that the anti-doping app. It does not work well," she said.

Additionally, the 28-year-old criticized the application for its frequent failures in reminding players of their time slots, emphasizing the added stress caused by its unreliability.

Upon coming across Sakkari's comments on social media, Nick Kyrgios expressed his disagreement with the concerns laid out by the World No. 9. He pointed out his own reliance on carbonated drinks and bananas during tough matches, arguing that players should simply steer clear of questionable substances.

"Ehhhh not really lol, 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," Nick Kyrgios commented.

Nick Kyrgios admits he felt "insane" waking up knowing that Novak Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam at US Open 2023

Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios

Novak Djokovic made history at the 2023 US Open as he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to claim his record 24th Grand Slam title, surpassing Serena Williams' tally of 23 titles.

Following the Serb's triumph, journalist Scott Barclay took to social media and asked his followers how they felt waking up with the knowledge that the Serb had won 24 Major titles.

"How's everyone feeling waking up today knowing that Novak Djokovic has won 24 major titles?" Barclay asked.

Nick Kyrgios responded to Barclays' post, saying:

"Insane."

Nick Kyrgios did not compete at the 2023 US Open, marking his absence from all four of the season's Grand Slams due to a series of injury issues.

Quick Links

Edited by Urvi Mehra
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications