Jannik Sinner Disappointed by Lack of Support During Doping Ban
World No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner has expressed disappointment over the silence of certain fellow players during his three-month doping suspension, which ends this Friday. Sinner will make his comeback at the Italian Open, marking his first tournament since the ban that began in February 2025. The suspension came after the World Anti-Doping Agency accepted his explanation that the banned substance clostebol entered his body through physiotherapy treatments.
The 23-year-old, a three-time Grand Slam champion, revealed during a press conference that while some unexpected players reached out with messages of support, others whom he had expected to hear from remained silent. “Tennis is an individual sport. Everyone has their own team,” he said. “I got some surprising messages from players I wouldn’t have expected, and none from those I thought would reach out. I don’t want to name names, but time will heal everything.”
Looking ahead to his return in Rome, Sinner said he’s entering the tournament with modest expectations and is focused on assessing his performance round by round. “This tournament is more about understanding where my level is. After the first match, I’ll have a clearer picture of where I stand,” he explained.
He also opened up about the difficulty of accepting the doping agreement, acknowledging that while he initially resisted the deal, it ultimately spared him from missing any Grand Slam events. “It wasn’t easy because I know the truth of what happened, but sometimes you have to choose the best option in a bad situation,” Sinner added.
Sinner retains his No. 1 ranking thanks to Alexander Zverev’s early exit at the Monte Carlo Masters.
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