Nick Kyrgios Looking To Have Assault Charge Dismissed On Mental Health Grounds

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Nick Kyrgios is facing a common assault charge in his home country of Australia. If found guilty, the tennis star could face up to two years in prison. But he and his legal team are looking to have the charge dropped altogether on mental health grounds.

Kyrgios' lawyer, Michael Kukulies-Smith, appeared in court in Canberra and asked for an adjournment so forensic mental health reports could be prepared. The case was adjourned until February 3. That's when Kyrgios' legal team is expected to apply to have the charged dismissed under a section of the local crimes law.

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The law gives magistrates the power to dismiss a charge if they are satisfied an accused person is mentally impaired and dealing with an allegation that would benefit the defendant. The charge involves Kyrgios' former girlfriend, Chiara Pissari, and an alleged incident between the two in January 2021. That incident was reported in December of last year.

Kyrgios is known for his hot temper and outbursts on the tennis court, and his legal team will move forward citing his mental health struggles as a way to have the charge dropped.

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Kukulies-Smith told the court his client’s mental health history since 2015 made the application appropriate, citing a number of public statements made by Kyrgios.

In February, Kyrgios opened up about his performance at the 2019 Australian Open, saying what appeared to be a positive time in his life had been “one of my darkest periods.”

“I was lonely, depressed, negative, abusing alcohol, drugs, pushed away family and friends,” Kyrgios wrote on Instagram, according to the NY Post. “I felt as if I couldn’t talk or trust anyone. This was a result of not opening up and refusing to lean on my loved ones and simply just push myself little by little to be positive.”

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Kyrgios reached the Wimbledon final earlier this year and made a run into the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open. He referenced being in "some really scary places" off the court after knocking off Daniil Medvedev at the year's final Grand Slam.

The 27-year-old will need to appear in court for his February hearing.

Follow Mark Harris on Twitter @ItIsMarkHarris

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.