Nick Kyrgios draws line between Simona Halep and Jannik Sinner: “She dealt with the consequences”

A user on social media reposted an old Instagram post by Nick Kyrgios following the doping controversy involving Jannik Sinner, where the Australian stated that he “only plays with clean players.” The user responded ironically to the announcement of Simona Halep’s participation in the World Tennis League.

Next week marks the start of the third edition of the mixed-team exhibition event, which will feature 16 ATP and WTA stars competing for the trophy. Following Barbora Krejcikova’s last-minute withdrawal, Romanian Simona Halep was announced in the line-up, joining none other than Kyrgios’s team.

The 29-year-old Australian has been an unrelenting critic of the recent doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, frequently using social media and interviews to voice his disapproval. Halep will take part in the exhibition as she prepares for a return to the WTA Tour after serving a suspension between September 2022 and March 2024 for a positive doping test, later proven to have been caused by contaminated vitamins.

The two-time Grand Slam champion initially faced a four-year suspension, but after proving her innocence, the ban was reduced to one year, allowing her immediate return to the courts. In March, she played the Miami Open in what appeared to be a promising comeback against Paula Badosa. However, injuries took a toll on the 33-year-old, limiting her to only a handful of matches this season.

For 2025, Halep hopes to leave the nightmare of her suspension behind and prove she can reclaim the spotlight, just as she did over the past decade. The World Tennis League will be Halep’s first event of the season, although she currently has no tournaments listed on her calendar. With a ranking of No. 877, only a wildcard would allow her to compete at the Australian Open.

Halep will join Kyrgios, Jasmine Paolini, and Casper Ruud in the World Tennis League, raising the possibility of a doubles pairing between the Romanian former world No. 1 and the Australian star. Months ago, Kyrgios, during a Q&A session, was asked if he would play doubles with Sinner (shortly after the doping controversy began), to which he replied, “I only play with CLEAN players.”

A user on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted the apparent contradiction in a post, which Kyrgios himself responded to, pointing out the difference between Sinner and Halep. “Uh, she dealt with the consequences lol – unlike Sinner, who has been able to play the whole time.”

The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up was initially confirmed for Team Eagles alongside Iga Swiatek. However, after criticising the five-time Grand Slam champion, Kyrgios was moved to Team Kites.