Nick Kyrgios has been dropped from the BBC and ESPN’s coverage of Wimbledon following backlash over his on-air role last year, which reignited criticism surrounding his 2021 domestic violence case.

Kyrgios admitted to assaulting his former partner, Chiara Passari, during an argument in 2021.

He pushed her to the ground as she blocked a doorway while he attempted to leave.

In 2023, a Canberra court found him guilty of common assault, but no conviction was recorded, with the magistrate citing the low level of the offence and Kyrgios’ mental health struggles at the time.

The court heard that Kyrgios was suffering from serious depression, including suicidal thoughts, leading up to the assault.

The injury-plagued star, once Australia’s top tennis player, has not played at Wimbledon since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic.

Since then, he has battled a series of injuries to his knee, foot, and wrist.

Kyrgios had hoped to return to the French Open in doubles with Jordan Thompson, but he withdrew earlier this month due to a knee injury.

He has also confirmed he will not compete at Wimbledon this year, which begins at the end of June.

According to The Telegraph in the UK, the BBC did not invite Kyrgios back to its 2025 commentary team, which includes John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova.

Last year, Kyrgios had joined the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage alongside Australian tennis legend Ash Barty.

While Barty’s return was widely celebrated, Kyrgios’ involvement drew sharp criticism due to his past court case.

It is unclear if ESPN will still use Kyrgios at next year’s Australian Open.

Caroline Nokes, Chair of the UK Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee, blasted the BBC over including Kyrgios last year.

“The BBC should hang its head in shame at this appointment. It’s a disgrace and shows the utter contempt our national broadcaster has towards women,” she said.

This latest setback for the 30-year-old comes after his reported split from long-time partner Costeen Hatzi.

Earlier this month, Kyrgios confirmed that his latest injury would rule him out of the grass-court season:

“Just wanted to give everyone a quick update — I’ve hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won’t make it back for grass season this year,” he said.

“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. Thank you for all your continued support — it means everything to me. See you soon!”

Kyrgios faces an uphill battle to revive his career, which has been derailed by injuries since late 2022.

He has played only four singles matches in 2025, with his first tour win in over two years coming at the Miami Open in March.

His withdrawal from Wimbledon means his first-round exit at the 2025 Australian Open remains his only Grand Slam appearance — out of a possible 11 — since the start of 2023.

Jordan Thompson recently shared insight into Kyrgios’ struggles:

“He was pretty down. He told me he doesn’t know how much more of these injuries he can take, and you’ve just got to feel for him. As much as he says things in the media, I think he loves playing tennis and being on court, so it’s disappointing that he can’t be here.”

With AAP