Nick Kyrgios says tennis is ‘in the mud’ after two-time grand slam doubles winner Max Purcell was provisionally suspended for violating tennis’ anti-doping rules.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the sanction in a statement on Monday after Purcell, Wimbledon and US Open champion in 2022 and 2024 respectively, admitted to a breach of Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program relating to the use of a “prohibited method” on December 10 and his voluntary ban came into effect two days later.

The 26-year-old Australian said on Instagram he unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowed limit of 100ml, adding he was convinced he followed World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations and methods.

“But the records show that the IV was over the 100ml limit, even though I told the clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be under 100ml,” Purcell explained.

”This news was devastating because I pride myself on being an athlete who makes sure everything is WADA safe. I volunteered this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible in trying to put this whole situation behind me. I look forward to being back on the court soon.”

In response to news of his compatriot’s suspension, Kyrgios wrote on X:

In August, Kyrgios said Jannik Sinner should have been banned for two years after he failed two doping tests. The ITIA said Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” over the presence in his urine of the banned steroid clostebol. A tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the failed tests had been caused by a healing spray used to treat a cut suffered by his physio, Giacomo Naldi, who had unwittingly exposed him to the substance through what were regular full-body massages.

The panel also deemed the amount of clostebol in Sinner’s system, a billionth of a gram, had not had any performance-enhancing effect but Kyrgios was scathing in his criticism.

He wrote on X: “Ridiculous - whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice.”

WADA have appealed the Sinner decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which could result in him being banned from tennis for up to two years.