Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka and Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios returned to action in a mixed doubles exhibition match at the US Open. The match marked a special return for Kyrgios, who had not competed in nearly two years due to injury. Despite the loss to Taylor Fritz and Amanda Anisimova, the event was a celebration of the competitive spirit that Kobe Bryant embodied, with Osaka and Kyrgios carrying his legacy onto the court.
Although NBA legend Kobe Bryant is no longer on this earthly plane, his “Mamba Mentality” continues to inspire athletes around the world, in this match he was fondly remembered by both tennis players during a showdown that showcased the admiration and respect they have for Bryant.
The tennis players entered the court for their mixed doubles exhibition match proudly sporting Kobe Bryant’s iconic number 8 y 24. Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba mentality” lives on, with NBA fans around the world sporting Kobe Bryant t-shirts, sneakers and other Kobe Bryant merchandise in honor of the NBA legend.
Kyrgios slams Jannik Sinner over anti-doping result
The Kobe Bryant tribute comes at a time of controversy for Kyrgios, who recently publicly criticized tennis player Jannik Sinner for his alleged violation of anti-doping rules.
Nick Kyrgios, known for his outspokenness on and off the court, expressed his displeasure with the situation of Jannik Sinner, the young Italian tennis player who recently became embroiled in a doping controversy. Sinner tested positive twice for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, during the Indian Wells tournament in March. Although provisionally suspended, Sinner successfully appealed, allowing him to continue competing on the ATP circuit while a more thorough investigation by the Tennis International Integrity Unit (TIU) was conducted.
Sinner’s defense was based on the claim that clostebol accidentally entered his body through a spray used by his physiotherapist, Umberto Ferrara, to treat an injury to his finger. Sinner’s team explained that the spray had been purchased in Italy, one of the few countries where products containing clostebol are allowed to be sold without a prescription. However, Kyrgios was not convinced by this explanation and publicly called for a two-year suspension for Sinner, arguing that any positive result for steroids, accidental or not, should be severely punished.
Despite the criticism, the TIU determined that Sinner committed no intentional wrongdoing or negligence, and while he was not given a suspension, he was docked 400 ranking points and $250,000 in prize money earned at Indian Wells. The investigation concluded that the amount of clostebol in Sinner’s system was negligible, leading the court to conclude that there was no impact on his performance. Even so, the controversy raised by Kyrgios has brought the sensitive issue of doping in sport back into the spotlight.
