ATP Is Protecting Sinner, But He’s a GOAT Candidate – Tennis Now
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 13, 2025
Photo credit: Glynn Kirk/AFP/Getty
Nick Kyrgios asserts the ATP is “protecting” Wimbledon winner Jannik Sinner from fall-out of his 2024 doping violation.
While Kyrgios says his relationship with the world No. 2 is “grim” he also credits Sinner as being one of the best pure ball strikers in tennis history and a GOAT candidate by the time his career is done.
In a wide-ranging and intriguing podcast interview with host Josh Mansour for Unscripted, Kyrgios details the root of his poor relationship with Sinner, predicts the future for Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner, reveals why he and Rafa Nadal never got along, cites his least favorite chair umpire, explains why he’s signed on to the PTPA lawsuit against the ATP, names the “scariest” celebrity he’s interviewed and shares why his friendship with Andy Murray has soured while his relationship with Novak Djokovic has grown into a full-fledged friendship.
Kyrgios has continuously taken shots at Sinner, who twice tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol in “low levels” in March of 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced Sinner had failed a pair of doping tests in August days before the start of the 2024 US Open.
Sinner was not suspended and permitted to play because an independent tribunal ruled he was at “no fault” for the steroid contamination in his system. Sinner successfully appealed both provisional suspensions claiming inadvertent contamination and was permitted to play while his case was under investigation.
That decision prompted WADA to appeal the case—and seek a one to two year ban. Earlier this year, Sinner accepted a three-month suspension to settle the WADA Appeal.
“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said in a statement in February accepting the suspension. “I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.
“On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”
Kyrgios told Josh Mansour he believes Sinner’s story is “bulls–t” and claims the ATP is “protecting” the four-time Grand Slam champion because he and Carlos Alcaraz are pivotal players in the Tour’s present and future. The New Two have split the last eight straight Grand Slam crowns.
“I’m loved by a lot of the locker room and then there are people I can’t stand. Like obviously me and Jannik Sinner now, it’s pretty grim,” Kyrgios said. “Obviously after the whole doping scandal with him testing positive and all that type of stuff, yeah there are a couple of people I don’t get along with at all….
“He’s the number one player in the world [when he tested positive] and there’s no doubt he’s an incredible player and he’s going to be carrying the sport for the next 10 to 15 years with Alcaraz.
“So I mean obviously they’re protecting him to some degree. I mean the CEO and all of the important people in the ATP are all Italian. And like the whole story for me is bulls–t.”
Despite his skepticism of Sinner’s story, Kyrgios said both Alcaraz and Sinner are threats to break Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles and praises the Italian as the best pure ball striker in tennis history.
“For me it hurt because I was like someone who has tested positive for that and then has just gotten off so easy, I was like f-ck, maybe I should have. Like what if I was to do that?” Kyrgios said. “I just hope he learns from it. When all is said and done, he’ll be one of the best players to ever play.
“Like also I’ll tell him to his face: I think he was good enough to do it without [possible doping]. Like if it was an accident, okay, but if it wasn’t, I would say ‘Bro, I don’t think you need that.’
“I played against him and it was an incredibly close match and I was like ‘This kid’s going to be f–king unbelievable.’ So I was like I think you’re good enough to do it on your own merit.”
Sinner’s ball-striking skill is unworldly, says Kyrgios, who believes world No. 1 Alcaraz can eventually surpass Djokovic’s Grand Slam mark.
“Incredible ball striker, like Sinner’s ball striking is on another planet,” Kyrgios said. “Like he’s probably one of the best ball strikers ever. Like ever. He’s got no weakness anymore.
“Like Sinner and Alcaraz have no weaknesses. You just have to raise your level to ridiculous proportions [to beat Alcaraz or Sinner]. I think the rate Alcaraz is going, he can [surpass Djokovic and Nadal]. He’s already got six. So at this rate, he’s winning two a year. So he can do it.
“Look at Alcaraz and Sinner, how they deal with their external stuff is out of this world. That’s what they don’t get enough credit for: The shoots, the media, all the business side of things, while they’re juggling the tennis and performing and barely losing at 21, 22 years. Like it’s absurd.”
Kyrgios shares his insights on other players and controversial tennis topics with Josh Mansour in the 71-minute interview above. Here’s a recap of some of the interview highlights.
Why Kyrgios and Rafa Nadal don’t like each other, but share mutual respect:
“Like Rafa’s known for dragging out the time. Like Bro, there’s time he’s taken a minute and a half between points and no one says a word. But then as soon as you’re like 26 seconds they’re like code violation loss of serve. And I’m like Brother, is there any discretion here? Or Rafa can do whatever he wants? But look, I get it. He’s one of the greatest to ever play, Nadal, but at the same time it’s like you can’t take that long.
“I don’t give a shit what Rafa does. I mean he’s the greatest of all time. We don’t like each other, but I respect Rafa. We don’t like each other. We’re very different. It’s like someone you competed against, you respected their ability, but you wouldn’t go have a beer with them. … I played him like nine times and every time I played him I was like everyone in Tennis Australia used this guy as like they put him on a throne. So I just wanted to beat him really bad. He was my motivation for a long time.”
Why Carlos Bernardes is Kyrgios’ least favorite chair umpire:
“Look him up…he’s an absolute idiot. Middle of the point, your walkie talkie’s going off, like learn how to do your f–king job. Like you’re an idiot.”
Why Mike Tyson is the scariest person Kyrgios ever interviewed for his Good Trouble Podcast:
“Bro, he’s Mike Tyson. Like, he’s a killer, so yeah it’s pretty scary.”
Kyrgios on his ongoing love of alcohol:
“I drink a sh–tload. I probably still drink six days a week like heavy, Like I just love it. I’ll always be in good enough shape to drink. Like I just love it. I train like a dog but at the same time I like having a drink.”
Kyrgios on why his once strong friendship with Andy Murray has faded:
“I wouldn’t even know if he’s a friend anymore. I guess he’s just like, he’s like a colleague. I mean we used to be closer, but then I don’t know. He was one of the people that was very supportive of me [through my darkest times]. But now we kind of don’t talk as much. But I wanted him on my podcast and he acted too important. So there’s your truth. It’s like Bro, find some time, Bro.”
Kyrgios on his “Hit List” Tattoo and how he’s grown to become good friends with former nemesis Novak Djokovic:
“Sixteen people ever have beaten the Big 4 in the history of tennis. And I was like f-ck, I feel it’s pretty sick [being one of the men to beat all of the Big 4].
“Novak actually replied to [images of his tattoo], he goes ‘There’s no f–cking way, you’re actually crazy.’ We hated each other [at the start]. He loved to be loved early in his career. Like he wanted everyone to love him. And I was like I know there’s a villain in there. Cuz now we’re really good friends. And now when he goes out to play, like people in Australia don’t really like [Novak]. They boo him. I think it’s like when someone wins too much, it’s like f–ck, can this person lose? …
“Bro, we put him in a refugee hotel [during COVID]. And I was like we can’t put one of the greatest athletes ever and treat him like that…. We have a really good relationship now. He’s a good guy.”
Kyrgios on joining the PTPA’s lawsuit against the ATP:
“As of right now, tennis players get 14.5 percent of total revenues made. For a global sport like tennis, it’s pretty f–king horrendous. Like we get 14 percent. It’s horrendous. For instance, an NBA player gets paid 50 percent [of league revenue].
“So it’s diabolical. So like ATP, some weird things are going on. How can you pay the product 14 percent? Doesn’t make any sense… I mean I’m one of the names on the lawsuit [vs. the ATP].”
