Key Points
- Nick Kyrgios on Friday pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-girlfriend in 2021.
- The magistrate later dismissed the charge, indicating the tennis star was not a risk of reoffending.
- Kyrgios said he was "sincerely sorry" for the hurt he caused.
Nick Kyrgios has had an assault charge dismissed by a magistrate after he pleaded guilty to shoving over his ex-girlfriend in 2021.
The tennis star fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday where a bid to have the assault charge thrown out on mental health grounds was rejected.
Magistrate Beth Campbell later dismissed the charge, accepting the seriousness of the matter was "low-level" and indicating Kyrgios was not a risk of reoffending.
The world No.20 was charged with a late-night incident from January 10, 2021 where he pushed over his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari following an argument outside her apartment in inner-city Canberra suburb Kingston.
The court heard Ms Passari was standing in the door of an Uber preventing Kyrgios from leaving when he pushed her over.
He stood over her and remarked "seriously" while she lay on the ground.
Ms Passari reported shoulder pain along with grazing on her knee.
Kyrgios had told Ms Passari to "leave me the f*** alone" and to "just f***ing piss off" while she asked him to get out of the car and to calm down.
Ms Passari didn't report the incident until 10 months later, when the couple split after getting back together following the incident.
Kyrgios 'sincerely sorry' for assault
Kyrgios issued a written statement after court, saying he was grateful the charge was dismissed.
"I was not in a good place when this took place and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret. I know it wasn't OK and I'm sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused," he said.
"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."
Readers seeking support with mental health can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. More information is available at beyondblue.org.au. Embrace Multicultural Mental Health supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
The Men's Referral Service, operated by No to Violence, can be contacted on 1300 766 491.
