Nick Kyrgios Doubles Down On Opinion Jannik Sinner Should Face Suspension After Multiple Failed Drug Tests

Nick Kyrgios issued a scathing response to Jannik Sinner skirting not one, but two failed drug tests after it was announced the World No. 1 would not receive any form of punishment. Despite days going by and Kyrgios joining ESPN in the booth for U.S. Open coverage, he's not softening his stance on the situation.

Sinner tested positive for clostebol, an Anabolic steroid, in his urine during Indian Wells earlier this year and was popped for a second time weeks later in an out-of-competition sample. Both positive tests came with mandatory provisional suspensions as more in-depth investigations into the matter took place.

An independent commission determined this week that the amount of clostebol in Sinner's system was less than one-billionth of a gram and entered the Italian's system through "daily massages and sports therapy."

The news of Sinner dodging any and all forms of punishment came down less than 24 hours after he won the Cincinnati Open.

Kyrgios isn't buying it, or at least not buying the idea that Sinner should get by unscathed. The Aussie called the situation "ridiculous" on social media after the news broke on August 20 and claimed that Sinner should be suspended for two years.

Nick Kyrgios is standing by his opinion that Jannik Sinner deserves to be suspended. Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY SPORTS

He's standing by those claims.

"Everything I put on social media I have to stand up for. I’ve seen many of my friends go through doping things and being suspended," Kyrgios said during Monday's coverage of the U.S. Open in New York.

"We’ve seen players like (Simona) Halep and everyone and it seems like every time one of these things comes up, there’s always a different process for different players. It’s nothing against Sinner personally at all. I know how important he is. He’s one of the greatest tennis players we have right now and I know how important he’s gonna be for the next 15 years. I’m not denying any of that. Nothing against him personally."

"If you look at Jenson Brooksby and other players who’ve had their careers taken away for up to a year. Someone like Sinner just kind of doing it his own kind of way. I think he had it on his own terms for most of the time. I don’t think that’s fair and equal for the rest of the tour."

Sinner has denied that he has received any sort of special treatment simply due to his high ranking. He also explained during his pre-U.S. Open presser on Monday that he was drug tested two days prior.

While Krygios' initial comments made it pretty clear that he wasn't going to tread lightly in terms of talking about Sinner throughout the Grand Slam and in the future, he went on to explain that "I’m definitely not gonna be warm and hospitable like I was."

Kyrgios has been out of competitive tennis for the better part of a year now due to injury, but here's to hoping he returns to the court sooner rather than later and a draw gifts us with a Sinner-Kyrgios match in the near future.