Court Dismisses Guilty Plea by Australian Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios in Assault Case

The Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios pleaded guilty on Friday to an assault charge during a court hearing in Canberra, the Australian capital. But shortly after, the court dismissed the charge.

Mr. Kyrgios, 27, had faced a maximum penalty of two years in prison but had argued for the dismissal on the grounds of his mental health issues. He withdrew that bid after the court heard evidence that he was not suffering a significant depressive illness.

His lawyer then called for the conviction to be dismissed on the grounds that Mr. Kyrgios would face a greater harm from it than an ordinary defendant. The magistrate agreed, effectively dismissing the charge and allowing Mr. Kyrgios to walk away without a conviction or a criminal record.

Mr. Kyrgios was accused of shoving Chiara Passari, his former partner, during a dispute in January 2021, when she tried to prevent him from leaving an Uber ride hailing car.