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Nick Kyrgios was due to face court next Tuesday in Canberra, Australia, on a common assault charge involving his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari. However, Kyrgios has now been called to face the ACT Magistrates Court on August 23, as the hearing has been postponed by three weeks.
Kyrgios was charged with a case of domestic violence pertaining to an incident that took place in December 2021, as originally reported by the Canberra Times. A maximum prison sentence of two years is attached to the charge. The news first came to light after the Australian player reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships earlier this month.
As per a report by the Associated Press, the hearing was postponed by court officials on Friday. If Kyrgios is legally represented, he is not required to attend the hearing himself.
The new court date falls on the Tuesday that follows the end of the Cincinnati Masters. Kyrgios has received a wildcard to play in the ATP Masters 1000 event and he will have just a week after Cincinnati to prepare for the August 29 start of the US Open in New York.
Michael Kukulies-Smith, a solicitor from Canberra, is said to be representing Kyrgios in the legal proceedings. Kukulies-Smith chose not to comment on the details of the case involving the 27-year-old, stating that it would be 'inappropriate to comment' at this stage.
Kyrgios started dating Passari in mid-2020 and the couple broke up in late 2021 after a heated verbal altercation at a hotel in Australia. The Aussie player is currently engaged to Costeen Hatzi.
At Wimbledon, when asked about the charges against him, Kyrgios stated that his lawyers had advised him not to comment on the matter as the court case is still pending. The Australian won his quarterfinal match at Wimbledon soon after, before receiving a walkover into the final due to his semifinal opponent Rafael Nadal's withdrawal. He then lost the Wimbledon final in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
Nick Kyrgios' schedule leading up to 2022 US Open
Nick Kyrgios withdrew ahead of his opening singles match at the Atlanta Open earlier this week due to a knee injury, which was not an ideal start to the American hardcourt swing for the Australian player. He is scheduled to play at the Citi Open in Washington DC next week, where he won the 2019 title.
So far, the World No. 47 is confirmed to only participate in the Cincinnati Masters in the build-up to the US Open. However, he is expected to receive a wildcard for the National Bank Open in Toronto, as he did for the tournament in Cincinnati. The Toronto Masters begins right after the Citi Open.
The 27-year-old is likely to remain unseeded at this year's US Open.
At last year's US Open, Kyrgios made a third-round exit following a straight-sets defeat to Roberto Bautista Agut. He lost in the opening round of the Citi Open as well as the National Bank Open last year.
