Nick Kyrgios: Aussie tennis star takes aim and Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill over doping scandal

Australia’s tennis protege Nick Kyrgios has thrown a liberal splash of fuel on an already simmering fire ahead of the summer tennis, attacking World No.1 Jannik Sinner and Tennis Australia.

Tennis Australia this week announced prolific Australian coach Darren Cahill, who currently mentors the World No.1, would receive the Coaching Excellence award.

The award honours one Australian coach who TA feel did the best work during the season.

In 2024 Sinner has won two Grand Slam titles plus the ATP Finals, before finishing the year as World No. 1, and Cahill’s work spoke for itself.

The one glaring issue that hangs over the head of the Italian’s camp, is a doping scandal that Kyrgios feels was handled poorly by tennis officials.

“Super coach. A world-class coach, guiding Jannik Sinner to World No.1 and his first two Grand Slam titles,” Tennis Australia’s recent social media post declared.

The post has enraged Kyrgios who has been an outspoken critic of Sinner and Cahill since the Italian failed a doping test.

“This is a joke right (laughing emoji) - have some class and integrity people,” Krygios said in a post added to the TA thread.

Sinner, who failed a doping test in August, has been on the receiving end of a barrage of ‘call-outs’ from Kyrgios who has been the most outspoken current player about the scandal.

The Aussie star has repeatedly called for Sinner to be sanctioned and for further investigations to commence into the handling of the tests and results.

“Yes. You tested for steroids. Very hard to talk to other people who aren’t,” Kyrgios wrote in a post after Sinner made recent admissions about his relationships with the tennis world since the positive results.

Kyrgios has called for a lengthy ban for Sinner and has said the handling of the situation was “ridiculous”.

During an ESPN interview, coach Cahill said that it took the Sinner camp “five minutes” to figure out how a failed doping test happened and that they knew it was the case of contamination from a spray used by physio Giacomo Naldi.

“With Jannik’s case, they knew exactly where it came from. Within five minutes, they knew this could be the only possible place that it came from. They were pretty quick to get to Sports Resolutions to get that temporary ban lifted,” Cahill said.

“We’re not looking for any sorrow or anything because we’re quite thankful that there is no ban attached. But I just want to stress that he’s a great kid, he’s incredibly professional, he’s maybe the most professional young man that I’ve ever had the chance to work with.”

“He would never, ever intentionally do anything, and he’s in a situation that’s incredibly unfortunate. And the truth came out exactly what happened – there’s no fault, no negligence – and, hopefully, he can get this behind him now and continue to play and get better.”

“I think everybody’s entitled to their opinion. I know this is a highly sensitive issue for everybody: all coaches, all players, all fans. I think, over time, this won’t affect Jannik’s legacy in the game. I think people will understand that when you read through the entire (ITIA) statement, and what he went through and how they determined him to have no fault or no negligence, I think you’ll understand,” Cahill added.