Nick Kyrgios says what his relationship with Jannik Sinner was like before his suspension from tennis
Nick Kyrgios, the outspoken Australian tennis star, has not directly detailed his relationship with Jannik Sinner in a single comprehensive statement, but various sources indicate they maintained a professional and cordial dynamic before Sinner’s three-month suspension from tennis, announced on February 15, 2025, following two positive tests for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March 2024. Speaking on the *Nothing Major* podcast in December 2024, Kyrgios expressed a competitive interest in facing Sinner, saying, “Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and really want to play Sinner,” suggesting a respectful rivalry rather than personal animosity at the time, per *nine.com.au*. Their on-court history, including a 2022 Miami Open match where Kyrgios lost 7-6(3), 6-3 and clashed with the umpire but not Sinner, showed no direct conflict, with Sinner staying composed, per *reddit.com*.[](https://www.nine.com.au/sport/tennis/nick-kyrgios-jannik-sinner-feud-what-happened-explained-20250108-p5l308.html)[](https://www.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/1hgfuvl/jannik_sinner_vs_nick_kyrgios_controversy_miami/)
Kyrgios’s tone shifted after Sinner’s doping case emerged in August 2024. Initially, he praised Sinner’s game during Wimbledon 2022 commentary, per *reddit.com*, but post-doping news, Kyrgios became a vocal critic, calling the lack of an initial ban “ridiculous” and questioning the fairness of Sinner’s clearance, per *tennis.com*. This suggests their pre-suspension relationship was professional, with no public bad blood until the doping controversy. Sinner, in response, remained diplomatic, saying in August 2024, “I don’t want to respond on what he said. Everyone is free to say everything,” indicating he harbored no personal grudge, per *tennis.com*. The dynamic was further complicated by Sinner dating Kyrgios’s ex-girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya, but Kyrgios clarified, “I couldn’t care less where Sinner lays his wood. I’m in a happy relationship,” per *awfulannouncing.com*.[]
