Tennis star Kyrgios admits assaulting ex-girlfriend -but avoids conviction

Australian tennis star

Nick Kyrgios has admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend, but has avoided a criminal conviction.

The 27-year-old's guilty plea in a Canberra court came after his lawyers failed to have the charge dismissed on mental health grounds.

Mr Kyrgios pushed Chiara Passari onto the pavement during a row in Canberra in 2021, the court heard. The magistrate called the incident "a single act of stupidity or frustration" when sparing him a criminal record. Mr Kyrgios released a statement after the ruling saying he was grateful to the court for dismissing the charges without conviction.

"I was not in a good place when this happened, and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret," he said. "I know it wasn't okay, and I'm sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused."

Agreed facts tendered to the court say Mr Kyrgios pushed Ms Passari after she stopped his car from driving away while they were arguing on 10 January 2021. Ms

Passari reported the incident to Police the next month, but did not make a formal complaint. The couple reconciled and resumed a relationship, but after they broke up, Ms Passari made a formal complaint in December 2021.

Mr Kyrgios's lawyer argued that his client had been trying to de-escalate the fight by calling an Uber, and had repeatedly tried to "lawfully" move Ms Passari away from the car.

"It is in that context and the frustration that resulted that my client reacted, and the offence occurred," Michael Kukulies-Smith said.

The court heard that Mr Kyrgios had sworn at Ms Passari and told her to go away. He then put his hands on her hips and moved her an arm’s length from the door, but Ms Passari stepped back. The tennis star then said: "I'm serious. I'm going to…" before pushing Ms Passari in the shoulder, causing her to fall.

Ms Passari felt some pain, and later noticed grazing on her knee, the court heard. The court heard Mr

Kyrgios apologised the next day - an act that showed he accepted responsibility for his actions, his lawyer has said.

Mr Kukulies-Smith also told the court on Friday there was "a relationship between the mental health and the offending - even though he no longer suffers it to the same extent today."

Mr Kyrgios's Psychologist, Sam Borenstein, told the court the tennis player's mental illness was "recurrent", and he had suffered from thoughts of self-harm; but his condition had been improving.

When sentencing Mr Kyrgios, Magistrate Beth

Campbell said he had been "a young man trying to extricate himself from a heighted emotional situation".

"You acted in the heat of the moment," she said. "I am dealing with you in the same way I would deal with any young man in this court. You are a young man who happens to hit a tennis ball particularly well."

She told Mr Kyrgios that references from family showed he had a lot of "love and support" around him.

The tennis player arrived at court on Friday on crutches, following recent knee surgery. An injury had forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open last month. (BBC Sport)

Tyrone Pottaya and Keith Hicks, while the coach is Ryan Algu.

Meanwhile, the RHTY&SC has received a STIHL grass cutter in a special arrangement with this longtime sponsor. The grass cutter would assist the club members to maintain the Area H Ground, along with another grass cutter which was donated by the Berbice

Cricket Board two years ago. Foster has expressed gratitude to the company for reposing its continued confidence in the club and for investing in the careers of promising junior players. He has assured the company that the under-15 team would continue to represent the Farfan and Mendes brand with pride, passion and commitment.

Windies Tour to Zimbabwe

2023: Test 1 of 2…

Preparation for Zimbabwe adequate

- says Windies interim coach Andre Coley

After nearly two weeks of preparation in Bulawayo, Andre Coley, West Indies interim Head Coach, is eagerly awaiting the bowling of the first ball in the first Test match of the two-Test Series on Saturday morning.

According to Coley, with numerous practice sessions and a dominant display in the three-day warmup match against the Zimbabwe XI across town at the Bulawayo Sports Club, the Windies’ preparation has been adequate. Now the attention switches to the “big show” – the first Test against Zimbabwe -- and the location moves to the Queen’s Sports Club, where the two teams will meet.

“We are confident that the areas that we wanted to address and spend some time on, we were able to do so. The facilities have generally been good, and offered us enough to get through what we needed to,” Coley has said.

He also expressed pleasure at the way the players have been responding to the training, noting that they have been putting in extra work in the nets and on fitness. In regard to getting ahead and eventually winning the series, he is looking for consistency in all areas.

Wary that Zimbabwe are highly competitive at home, the West Indies will be eager to start the year right, having enjoyed some success in the longest format over the past 18 months, and a series in South Africa to follow.

The first Test will begin on Saturday, February 4. First ball is 10am (4am Eastern Caribbean/3am Jamaica).

Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (cpt), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-cpt), Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua DaSilva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Devon Thomas and Jomel Warrican. (Sportsmax)