Daily Times

SYDNEY: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios says he had suicidal thoughts, abused drugs and self-harmed during a dark period in his life in 2019. The controversial crowd-pleaser, who won the Australian Open doubles title last month, posted a lengthy message on Instagram late Thursday detailing his mental health issues. He linked it to a photo from the 2019 Australian Open in which he pointed to marks on his arm. “This was me 3 years ago at the Australian Open. Most would assume I was doing ok mentally or enjoying my life… it was one of my darkest periods,” said the 26-year-old. “If you look closely, on my right arm you can see my self-harm. I was having suicidal thoughts and was literally struggling to get out of bed, let alone play in front of millions. “I was lonely, depressed, negative, abusing alcohol, drugs, pushed away family & friends. I felt as if I couldn’t talk or trust anyone.” Kyrgios had a roller-coaster season leading up to the 2019 Australian Open, and was frequently criticised for his on-court antics. Supremely talented, he was also combustible and earned a reputation for outbursts and meltdowns on court.