Stefanos Tsitsipas says Nick Kyrgios’ cocaine suspension was ‘pretty much expected’

Stefanos Tsitsipas says Nick Kyrgios’ cocaine suspension was ‘pretty much expected’ 1 of 2 | Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, celebrates winning a match against Arthur Fils, of France, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 2 of 2 | Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, reacts during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, file) 1 of 2 | Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, celebrates winning a match against Arthur Fils, of France, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 1 of 2 Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, celebrates winning a match against Arthur Fils, of France, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, reacts during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, file) 2 of 2 Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, reacts during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, file) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] New York (AP) — Stefanos Tsitsipas was not surprised that Nick Kyrgios was suspended from tennis for drugs.“Pretty much expected, to be honest,” Tsitsipas said. “I am surprised it came so late, though.”Kyrgios was banned earlier this month after he revealed he tested positive for cocaine in June when he was in Spain to play at an event. The Australian could be suspended for four years, though a lighter punishment is expected.Tsitsipas was asked about Kyrgios on Monday after upsetting No. 10-seeded Arthur Fils in the first round of the U.S. Open.“I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the announcement. Myself, I knew about it,” Tsitsipas said. “So what can I tell you? I will just tell you the truth. I knew about all of this before any announcement was made, and when I saw it on social media, I was, like, ‘Here we go.’ I kind of expected it, to be honest.” Tsitsipas and Kyrgios played a fiery match at Wimbledon in 2022, when Kyrgios reached his only Grand Slam final. Tsitsipas blasted a couple shots directly at Kyrgios, intentionally hit a ball into the crowd, and afterward called Kyrgios a “bully.”Kyrgios has largely battled injuries since and said when he was suspended that he had felt “helpless and alone,” though added that “none of that excuses what I did.” 1 MIN READ 3 MIN READ 4 MIN READ Nor did it come as a shock to Tsitsipas.“I knew that those were things that were happening away from the tennis courts. I will tell you that,” he said. “I’m not going to try and cover up someone that I know the truth for. I’ll consider myself a nice person with everyone, but these were behaviors that I personally heard on the tour and heard other people in that same environment saying those sort of things to me.”___See AP’s full tennis coverage here