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Nick Kyrgios slammed Fernando Verdasco following his doping suspension, which has infuriated tennis fans.
Verdasco was imposed a two-month suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Wednesday after testing positive for methylphenidate and failing to renew his Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). TUE allows athletes to compete even if their medication contains a prohibited substance.
Kyrgios took to social media to say that the news of the Spaniard's ban did not surprise him.
“Can’t say I’m surprised with this one,” Nick Kyrgios said.
Tennis fans slammed the Australian for making such a callous comment while he had experienced mental health issues. One fan called him "crazy" by posting news clips of his plea for the dismissal of his assault case on mental health grounds.
"Me neither, CRAZY," wrote one user.
Another fan commented that for someone who claimed to have suffered from mental health issues, he should be more compassionate.
"For someone who claims to have suffered depression/mental health issues, I thought you’d be more compassionate. ADD/ADHD are real conditions that need to be treated. Just because some Docs misdiagnose or over-medicate doesn’t mean there aren’t people/kids suffering.@NickKyrgios," another fan said.
One user criticized the 27-year-old for doubting Verdasco's mental health issues when he was seeking dismissal in the assault case of his ex-girlfriend on mental grounds.
"You wrote a 2 page essay on mental health a couple of years back, you're seeking dismissal of an assault case by your ex on mental health grounds. And you're here doubting someone's ADHD medication you absolute fucking noodle!" one user expressed.
Another user stated that Kyrgios' condemnation exposes the meaninglessness of his prior stance and statements on mental health.
"Either you know something as fact and should share it, or this virtually instantaneous condemnation shows your public stance and statements on mental health to be pretty meaningless," read one tweet.
Here are some more fan reactions:
"The team that has my eye is definitely Novak and the Falcons" - Nick Kyrgios gears up for World Tennis League
Nick Kyrgios is scheduled to take part in the Diriyah Tennis Cup from December 8-10 in Saudi Arabia and the World Tennis League from December 19-24 in Dubai.
In the World Tennis League, Kyrgios is placed in Team Eagles, alongside Caroline Garcia, Bianca Adreescu, Rohan Bopanna, and Andreas Seppi. The Aussie shared his excitement at being a part of the tournament in a video recently posted on social media.
"I cannot wait to be part of the WTL. The team that has my eye is definitely Novak and the Falcons. I can't wait to come against them and I can guarantee an Eagles win. But for now, all tie," he said.
He continued by expressing his eagerness to get to know his team and how much he enjoys working in teams.
"I thrive and have so much fun in a team environment. Can't wait to meet my team and see if we can accomplish during the week," Kyrgios asserted.
Nick Kyrgios also mentioned how important gatherings like this are for fans.
"An event like this for the fans is so important. We have fan interactions, the ability to see female and male athletes come together and achieve something, is really really cool," he stated.
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