Australian Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios Avoids Conviction After Guilty Plea for Assaulting His Ex
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios will not be convicted despite pleading guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend during an incident that took place over two years ago, according to multiple outlets.
The athlete, 27, appeared at the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates Court in Canberra, Australia, on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to assaulting ex-Chiara Passari during an argument in January 2021, the Associated Press reported.
Facing a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the altercation, per The New York Times, the outlet said that Kyrgios argued to dismiss the charge by citing his history of mental health issues, though he later withdrew the bid.
Magistrate Beth Campbell chose to not record a conviction against Kyrgios, however, stating that the tennis star had no criminal record and that the incident was not premeditated, therefore allowing him to leave the court without a conviction or criminal record, according to the AP.
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SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images Nick Kyrgios
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In an Instagram post after the hearing, Kyrgios reacted, writing, "I respect today's ruling and am grateful to the court for dismissing the charges without conviction."
MICK TSIKAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Nick Kyrgios
Noting that he "was not in a good place when this took place," the athlete continued, "I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret."
Nick Kyrgios Instagram Nick Kyrgios' Instagram
"Mental health is tough. Life can seem overwhelming. But I've found that getting help and working on myself has helped me to feel better and to be better," he added.
Kyrgios then thanked current girlfriend Costeen Hatzi, his family and friends "for supporting me through this process." He noted that he now plans to "focus on recovering from injury and moving forward in the best way possible."
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According to the AP, the incident between Kyrgios and Passari took place when the tennis star attempted to leave his ex during an argument late one night outside her apartment.
After Passari allegedly stood in the way of him closing the front passenger door of an Uber he had ordered, the outlet said, citing agreed facts read to the court, that Kyrgios reportedly pushed his former lover's shoulders, which caused her to fall to the ground and injure her knee on the pavement.
Passari, an Australian model, briefly split from Kyrgios after the alleged incident, before they reconciled. But, when they broke up once again in December 2021, Passari then reported the incident to the police, per the Times.
The AP reported that Kyrgios' current girlfriend Hatzi sat behind him in court and wrote in a character reference that she had no concerns about violence in her relationship with the tennis player.
