"Victimising and bullying proven innocent people" - Fans annoyed by Nick Kyrgios' doping jibe at Iga Swiatek over her Indian Wells controversy

Nick Kyrgios continued his scathing attack on Iga Swiatek over her doping case this week after the World No. 2 invited controversy during her second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open. Unsurprisingly, fans called out the Aussie for making jibes at her for no reason.

On Saturday, March 8, the five-time Major winner was leading her opponent Dayana Yastremska 5-0 in the first set of her second-round match in Indian Wells before a contentious point went down in the first point of the sixth game. After eliciting a weak response from the Pole during a lengthy baseline rally, the Ukrainian hit a drop shot that the second seed failed to track down the ball before it bounced twice.

However, the chair umpire made a wrong judgment call as she called the ball up, allowing Iga Swiatek to continue the point. While Yastremska eventually hit a passing shot winner past her, a large section of the tennis community on social media subsequently questioned the World No. 2's apparent lack of sportsmanship during the point.

Nick Kyrgios, a staunch critic of the Pole since her doping suspension last year, also chimed in on the topic, replying to a video of the above incident on X.

"'Clean' player," Nick Kyrgios wrote on X followed by a laughing emoji.

The Aussie's reaction irked tennis fans on the social media site soon after. A fan accused the 29-year-old of targeting the World No. 2 despite WADA choosing not to appeal her one-month doping ban.

"He's victimising and bullying proven innocent people. That makes him a little man," they wrote.

A few more fans took umbrage at the former World No. 13, with one going as far as to claim that his first-round retirement in Indian Wells last week should've made him more "humble".

"I thought you would learn some humility after your retirement the other day. Guess I was wrong," one fan wrote.

Meanwhile, two fans, implied that Nick Kyrgios' social media activity and wrist injury were directly correlated.

"Stop typing Nick, give that wrist some rest," one fan wrote.

"Maybe the wrist problem is from holding a cellphone," another wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from X:

"Christ, are you still yapping little fella," a fan joked.

"Atleast she has few slams on her name, and she can win matches," another insisted.

"Jesus man. Have some class," one fan wrote.

"Yeah you are too clean that you go play a match where you know you will have to retire anyway," another joked.

Nick Kyrgios has been carping at Iga Swiatek since the latter tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine during last year's post-US Open swing. The Pole was not allowed to play on the WTA Tour from September 12 to October 4.

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"With all the help" - When Nick Kyrgios made a remark at Iga Swiatek during Pole's campaign at United Cup 2025

Iga Swiatek looks on during United Cup 2025 final | Image Source: Getty

Earlier in January, a video of Swiatek taking a notebook with her during a toilet break following the first set of her United Cup final singles fixture against Coco Gauff went viral on social media. In his reply to the post, Kyrgios hit out at the World No. 2, inferring that she always needed external aid to win while alluding to her previous failed doping tests.

"And with all the other help😅," Nick Kyrgios wrote in his reply on X (formerly Twitter.

Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, has failed to win a singles match in his 2025 ATP Tour comeback. The Aussie, currently ranked outside the men's top 1000 due to his multiple injury layoffs in 2023-24, retired midway through his first-round match against lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp due to wrist niggles.