Nick Kyrgios STRINGER / PANORAMIC
The Australian had pleaded guilty to pushing Chiara Passari during an argument.
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios escaped conviction after pleading guilty on Friday to assaulting his ex-girlfriend, in what a Canberra court described as “one stupid move“. The assault charge against the 27-year-old was dismissed by the court.
Present at the hearing, the Wimbledon finalist admitted to having assaulted his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari on January 10, 2021, pushing her to the ground after a heated argument. Ms Passari filed suit 10 months later after their split, lawyers reported. In a statement read out in court, Ms Passari said she suffered severe trauma from the incident, suffered significant weight loss, and was bedridden day and night, unable to sleep or form new romantic relationships. The tennis player’s lawyers had previously indicated that the Wimbledon finalist would seek to have the charges dropped due to mental health issues, explaining that it was an isolated incident and not in line with his temperament.
Severe and recurrent depression
Psychologist Sam Borenstein told the court that Kyrgios suffered from severe and recurrent depression, including thoughts of self-harm, insomnia, restlessness and feelings of guilt. According to Mr Borenstein, the tennis star has resorted to alcohol in particular to cope with the situation, but is now making progress in managing his mental health. “As we speak, his mental health has improved significantly.“said the psychologist.
Judge Beth Campbell eventually dismissed the case, saying that Kyrgios had acted wrongly but that the offense was not planned or premeditated and that it was a “one stupid movecommitted by a young man trying to get out of a tense situation. Kyrgios would have pushed his ex-girlfriend when the latter prevented him from leaving his apartment in Canberra. Nick Kyrgios arrived on crutches in the court of the Australian capital, victim of a knee injury which forced him to forfeit the Australian Open in January. He was accompanied by his partner Costen Hatzi, an interior designer, and his mother Norlaila.
angry player
The player, currently world number 20, did not speak to reporters as he made his way to court. The 27-year-old Australian born in Canberra, known for his spectacular play and tantrums on the courts, has gone public with his battle with depression and the repercussions of his global stardom. In October 2022, while Kyrgios was taking part in the Japan tournament, the hearing was postponed to allow an assessment of his mental health. “There are only a few things I can control and I take all necessary measures to deal with them off the court.“, had then said the Australian from Tokyo.
In 2014, Kyrgios, then a complete stranger, 19, stunned the tennis world by defeating then-world No. 1 Rafael Nadal to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. The terrible child of Australian tennis has shaped the image of an angry and divisive player, who collects fines, and is often accused of not playing to his full potential. However, he reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, his first Grand Slam, before losing to Novak Djokovic.
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