doping case, Australian Open 2025, Andy Roddick comments, Cruz Hewitt Instagram post

The social media accounts of Nick Kyrgios fire a lot more shots than his racquet these days, and his target of late has been men's world No.1, Jannik Sinner.

The outspoken Aussie has waged war on Sinner - and to a lesser extent women's star Iga Swiatek - over failed doping tests last year.

Kyrgios has made it personal with the Italian champion despite his gripe supposedly being the punishments imposed, which were relatively minor but arguably commensurate with the level of illegal substance found in Sinner's samples.

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Sinner tested positive to Clostebol but there was less than one-billionth of a gram found in his samples. His team claimed it had been ingested accidentally after his physio used the drug to treat a cut on his own finger, and many experts said it would have had no effect on the player's performance.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency found "no fault or negligence" on Sinner's behalf. He was stripped of money and points earned from the Indian Wells tournament as punishment - but Kyrgios labelled that decision "ridiculous".

Nick Kyrgios has waged war on world No.1 Jannik Sinner. Nine

The results of the positive tests were made public on the eve of the US Open in August.

Sinner went on to win that tournament - his second grand slam triumph for the year - in the face of public backlash, the bulk of which came from Kyrgios who was behind the microphone for ESPN.

The tournament avoided an awkward situation by sidelining Kyrgios from on-court interviews in Sinner matches.

Sinner was probed during the US Open on how he would feel about being interviewed by Kyrgios, but the classy Italian brushed it aside and said "Everyone is free to say everything, so it's OK".

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That is to date his only real public acknowledgement of Kyrgios since the Aussie began his crusade. Sinner has commendably remained silent even among some distasteful behaviour from his foe.

Kyrgios was blasted for a comment on social media underneath a photo of Sinner and his partner Anna Kalinskaya, whom Kyrgios once dated.

He wrote "second serve" - a comment many labelled sexist and led to calls for him to be axed from ESPN.

More recently, Kyrgios drew the ire of the tennis world when he bombarded the comments section on an Instagram post from teenage Aussie talent Cruz Hewitt, the son of legendary Lleyton.

Cruz spent Sunday having a practice hit with Sinner in Melbourne, and later posted photos of the experience to his social media.

Kyrgios took it upon himself to use the post to push his own cause and commented "Love ya Cruz but this is wild", "cooked post" and "thought we were boys", he added with a heartbroken emoji and then a syringe.

American tennis great Andy Roddick was among many who slammed the act.

"I have decided to lay off (Kyrgios so far) because there is this weird thing where he wants the likes. At this point he is a tennis influencer. He lives for likes, he lives in the comments section," Roddick told his podcast this week.

"But what I have an issue with is the hypocrisy with which he picks and chooses when to levy judgement on others while also wanting you to digest the context of his comments – the latest being towards Cruz Hewitt who practiced with Jannik Sinner.

"Kyrgios has been the single most outspoken critic of Jannik Sinner on the heels of his failed doping test. So Cruz Hewitt is 16 years old, son of Lleyton - the toughest competitor that I have ever played in my life - gets to hit with a guy who is No.1 in the world at the Australian Open. That is a big deal.

"Imagine as an almost 30-year-old man, going into the comments of a 16-year-old... If you think he is guilty or not guilty, it's still a moment when you get to do that.

"That's a big moment and to simply post a picture and then have this guy go into the comments and make it all about himself... The defence was that it was a joke. The lack of awareness you have with bringing trolls and all of the worst of tennis fandom into a 16-year-old's comments is ridiculous. It's ridiculous."

Kyrgios labelled Roddick a "sheep" in response to the comments - again doing so on X.

His list of friends on tour appears to be growing thin, with former foe Djokovic now among his closest allies.

But even Djokovic was reluctant to join in the Sinner pile-on when given the chance recently to support his new friend Kyrgios.

Jannik Sinner and Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon in 2022. Ryan Pierse via Getty Images

Kyrgios' biggest supporter amid the Sinner crusade has been X account Pavvy G, who calls himself a "citizen journalist" and is also a staunch follower of Djokovic.

Kyrgios and Pavvy G spend much of their time high-fiving virtually and reposting each other in an anti-Sinner echo chamber.

The luck of the Australian Open draw could do the tennis public a favour and pit Kyrgios against Sinner at Melbourne Park next week, in what would surely be a ratings blockbuster.

While an on-court meeting would likely only end one way, the Aussie reckons he is up for the challenge.

"Let's be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner," Kyrgios told the Nothing Major podcast last month.

"I've thought about this — if I played him in the Australian Open, I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot.

"All respect would go out the window and I would just do anything to win."

Fingers crossed we get to witness it.

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