Yevgeny Kafelnikov seconds Nick Kyrgios' lament on tennis' current state following multiple doping sagas ft. Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Max Purcell

Former World No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov has expressed agreement with Nick Kyrgios over the latter's claims about the current state of tennis. Kafelnikov and Kyrgios' criticism comes in light of the sport having been struck hard by various doping controversies this year.

Kyrgios has been a staunch critic of both Sinner and Swiatek ever since their respective doping violations came into the public eye. The Aussie has accused the highest bodies in tennis of preferential treatment while vehemently asking for more transparency in decision-making by the officials.

Against this background, the former World No. 13 took to his X handle on Monday (Dec. 23) to express his disappointment with the polarizing situation that tennis has found itself in this year. He wrote:

"Gee wiz our sport is in the mud at the moment."

Two-time Major winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who recently insinuated that Iga Swiatek had set a "bad example" for budding female players because of her doping ban, agreed with Nick Kyrgios' opinion. He wrote in the replies:

"Tell me about it 👎🏿"

The International Tennis Integrity Association revealed in August this year that Jannik Sinner had failed two doping tests three months prior. While Sinner escaped a provisional suspension at the time, the World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed to the Court of Arbitrations for a ban of one to two years in 2025.

More recently, Iga Swiatek revealed last month that she had been provisionally suspended for a month after the US Open. The Pole said in her statement that she had served a ban due to the prohibited substance trimetazidine (TMZ) having been found in her system after she took 1-2 mg of melatonin.

Apart from Sinner and Swiatek, other players who have been involved in doping scandals over the last few years include former World No. 1 Simona Halep, doubles specialist Max Purcell and Australia's Tara Moore.

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Nick Kyrgios believes it is "ridiculous" that Jannik Sinner has yet to serve a doping ban

Nick Kyrgios talks during a media interaction (Source: Getty)

In October, Nick Kyrgios interacted on X with a tennis fan who claimed that every player that Jannik Sinner has beaten over the last few months must have a distaste for him, since the Italian wasn't banned for his doping violations. The Aussie seemingly agreed with the fan as he wrote:

"Yep. Ridiculous lol."

More recently, Kyrgios revealed that he would love to face Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open. The Happy Slam next year will mark the Aussie's first Major tournament appearance since the 2022 US Open.