Australian tennis starNick Kyrgioswill 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 hepleaded guilty to assaulting ex-Chiara Passariduring an argument in January 2021, the Associated Press reported.
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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Nick Kyrgios.SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
In an Instagram post after the hearing, Kyrgios reacted, writing, “I respect today’s ruling and am grateful to the court fordismissing the charges without conviction.”
Nick Kyrgios.MICK TSIKAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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 girlfriendCosteen 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 theTimes.
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.
source: people.com
