Nick Kyrgios is facing another lengthy absence from tennis after testing positive for cocaine last month.

The 31-year-old is not expected to appeal against his suspension, the length of which is yet to be determined.

Sanctions could range from several years to just a few months, with the lack of appeal and apparent entry into some kind of treatment programme working to his advantage.

But the sentence will rest on whether he took drugs deliberately during competition – which he has virtually admitted in his statement. As such, he can expect to be on the sidelines for at least a year, or perhaps longer, based on previous cases.

“I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me,” he wrote on Instagram. “Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.

“I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.”

I did have some sympathy with Kyrgios over the years, even if his insistence that he “didn’t choose tennis – tennis chose me” is overblown. It is true that he was catapulted to fame at 19 years of age, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open with the hopes of a nation thrust onto his shoulders, and clearly he had none of the emotional tools to deal with all the attention. That was evident to anyone who had seen him smash a racket, scream at his coaches or argue with an umpire.

And injuries, to a certain extent, are not necessarily self-inflicted and any player knows how soul-destroying your own body’s breakdown can be.

“Letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times I’ve felt helpless and alone,” he added.

As I say, I did have some sympathy.

But that creek has run progressively drier as Kyrgios has increasingly proven his ability to make bad decisions, rather than being a victim of circumstance. Whether, in unequal measure, that was the common assault of his ex-girlfriend, his retweeting of misogynist influencer Andrew Tate or his apparent lack of interest in the hard work required to be a top tennis player.

Read more

It is no coincidence that the greatest tennis player of all-time, and the one with more longevity than anyone else, is Novak Djokovic, who has explored every possible avenue to keep himself fit and made huge sacrifices along the way. Has Kyrgios ever been willing to make those same sacrifices? The evidence suggests not.

I am glad he has resolved to get help, but it is a shame that it has taken a missive to the naughty step to make him: in the circumstances, now he is banned from even attending any type of serious tennis event, there was little else he could do.

Maybe other people will give Kyrgios yet another chance. I’m not sure I will.