Nick Kyrgios has reportedly been dropped from the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage this year, despite having served as a pundit during last summer’s tournament.
This decision follows public criticism aimed at the broadcaster for including the 30-year-old in its 2024 coverage—just a year after Kyrgios admitted to assaulting his former girlfriend, Chiara Passari.
According to The Telegraph, the BBC has now decided not to include the former Wimbledon finalist in this year’s lineup.
The report also mentions that Kyrgios will not feature in ESPN’s coverage of the tournament in the U.S. either. He had previously worked with the network during the 2024 Australian Open, following his first-round loss to Jacob Fearnley. Kyrgios, a seven-time ATP Tour titleholder, was part of ESPN’s coverage team for that event.
Sources say Kyrgios had intended to compete at Wimbledon this year, unlike in 2023, but he has since pulled out of the tournament.
He has struggled with ongoing injuries over the past two years, and a recent setback in early June led him to announce on social media that he would be unable to play in the grass-court season.
‘I’ve hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won’t make it back for grass season this year,’ Kyrgios posted on social media.
‘I know how much you’ve all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I’m genuinely sorry to disappoint. This is just a bump in the road though, and I’m already working hard to get back stronger than ever.’
The BBC previously defended its decision to bring Nick Kyrgios on board as part of its Wimbledon coverage, despite facing criticism from MPs and various groups.
Conservative MP Caroline Noakes, who also chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, was among those who voiced concern, calling the broadcaster’s choice to hire Kyrgios disrespectful to women.
‘The BBC should hang its head in shame at this appointment,’ said Nokes. ‘It’s a disgrace and shows the utter contempt our national broadcaster has towards women.
‘Not content with consistently underpaying their own female staff and forcing out women once they hit a certain age, they now bring a man who admitted assaulting a woman on board for Wimbledon.’
Jamie Klingler, a co-founder of the Reclaim These Streets campaign group, said: ‘‘It’s amazing how quickly we are willing to dismiss violence against women as long as the man perpetrating that violence is good at hitting a ball.’
Amid the storm of criticism, the BBC justified its position.
‘As a current and high profile player, Nick Kyrgios will provide insight and analysis of the action on the court from his experience in the game,’ the BBC said in a statement.
‘We are in no way condoning his cited previous actions or behaviours, on and off the court, and he is employed to share his views on tennis only. He has provided similar services to other major sports broadcasters in recent months.
‘The legal process he was involved in has concluded, is well documented, and he has spoken about it publicly.’
Nick Kyrgios, 30, has been grappling with a series of injuries—affecting his foot, knee, and wrist—over the past two years. His latest withdrawal means he’ll miss Wimbledon for a third consecutive year.
He had shown signs of a return to form late last year, following surgery to repair a ligament in his wrist. However, ongoing fitness issues have continued to trouble him over the past seven months.
In January, an abdominal strain threatened his Australian Open campaign, and he ultimately fell in the first round to Jacob Fearnley.
Since then, Kyrgios has found it difficult to regain his rhythm, citing lingering stiffness in his wrist. So far this season, he has made just four appearances and recorded only one win—against Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open in March.
