From Nick Kyrgios to Denis Shapovalov: How the tennis world has reacted to Jannik Sinner receiving clean chit amid doping saga

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is involved in one of the most high-profile doping cases in the tennis world after failing two drug tests in March 2024. However, he was given the green light to continue to compete professionally by the ITIA (international Tennis Integrity Agency). More shockingly, the news of Sinner's failed tests and investigation by ITIA was kept under wraps until August 20, when the Italian was announced to have been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Jannik Sinner tested positive for Clostebol, a prohibited anabolic steroid, in two different urine samples on March 10 and March 18, 2024. In past cases of positive doping, players have been suspended pending investigation regardless of whether the substance was taken intentionally or unintentionally.

However, that was not the case with Sinner, who continued to compete on the ATP Tour after it was confirmed that he had less than one billionth of a gram of Clostebol in his sample, which was deemed non-performance enhancing by the ITIA.

In his defense, the reigning Australian Open champion argued that the substance entered his system via a healing spray his physio Giacomo Naldi used for a bare-handed body massage.

ITIA accepted Jannik Sinner's argument that he was unintentionally exposed and cleared him of wrongdoing. However, in their recently released report on the case, the ITIA announced that the Italian will have to pay £250,000 in fines and lose 400 ranking points earned after reaching the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters in March.

The incident set a firestorm in the tennis world, with many of Jannik Sinner's peers promptly giving their take. Most tennis players were left stunned and disappointed by the handling of the Italian's case.

They found it unfair that he was allowed to play while being under investigation, while many others in the past had to endure long, career-crushing suspensions for unintentional doping or even missed drug tests.

Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, and Lucas Pouille

Nicky Kyrgios was among the first tennis players to have his say on Jannik Sinner's doping saga. The Australian did not mince his words when calling for the Italian to be banned for two years over doping, saying that it does not matter if the substance was taken unintentionally. Moreover, Kyrgios did not buy into Sinner's argument that the Clostebol entered his body via a massage cream.

"Ridiculous - whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice," Nick Kyrgios said.

Denis Shapovalov also had a strong reaction and called out the double standards in the treatment of players involved in doping cases. The Canadian also sympathized with players who have been forced out of the game over consumption of banned substances.

"Different rules for different players," Shapovalov tweeted.

"Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now," the Canadian wrote in another tweet.

In agreement with Shapovalov, Frenchman Lucas Pouille argued for players who have been suspended for only missing three consecutive doping tests and not for actually testing positive for controlled substances.

"What about players that got banned for 3 no shows only and never been tested positive," Lucas Pouille wrote.

Liam Broady, Eva Lys, and Cagla Buyukakcay

British player Liam Broady opined that Jannik Sinner's case is not a "good look" for ITIA and ATP as other players have to wait years for a resolution of their cases and remain suspended while their cases are being heard, unlike the Italian.

"Whether Sinner was doping or not. This is not right. Plenty of players go through the same thing and have to wait months or YEARS for their innocence to be declared. Not a good look," said Liam Broady.

WTA players also weighed in on the controversy, with Eva Lys agreeing with Broady's opinion. Turkey's Cagla Buyukakcay shed light on the emotional, financial, and physical burden a player must endure due to suspension and chided the selective treatment given to Jannik Sinner.

"Agreed," Eva Lys commented.

"Losing your job, reputation, ranking, health due to anxiety&stress and overwhelming financial burden is the most gruelling process for an athlete can endure. It’s incredibly unfair when some are treated differently under the same rules," Buyukakcay said.

John Millman

John Millman, who retired from tennis earlier this year, took a slightly different approach from his peers. The 35-year-old believed in Jannik Sinner's innocence and advocated for a change in the threshold for contamination in a player's sample to be considered positive for doping.

"Before jumping to conclusions, Jannik Sinner had less than a billionth of a gram in his system.. I believe him. maybe we should change threshold cater for contamination. Finally why the uproar for this when we allow athletes in all sports, including tennis, to abuse TUE’s?" Millman said on X.

Millman also applauded ITIA's handling of the Italian's case compared to the "butcher job" in Simona Halep's case. Halep was suspended from tennis for nine months after testing positive for the prohibited substance Roxadustat after the 2022 US Open.

"Furthermore, the ITIA handled this 1000x better than the butcher job with Simona. Jannik is about as good a person that exists on tour. At least read the report before you pass judgement," Millman added.

Tennys Sandgren, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Benjamin Lock

Tennys Sandgren found Jannik Sinner's argument of getting the steroids from a massage "ridiculous" and called out ATP for protecting their top players for profits. The American added that the incident would dent the trust in ITIA and the entire process of substance testing.

"This is ridiculous lmfao second hand steroids through a massage?? ATP always looks out for their money makers. Good for business, bad for transparency and integrity," Sandgren said.

Roberto Carballes Baena posted a screenshot of reactions from other players and slammed the selective implementation of doping rules.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe No. 1 Benjamin Lock opined that many players from the "wrong" part of the world have had their careers destroyed over doping and was shocked to learn the rules were bent for Jannik Sinner. Moreover, he was disappointed that the entire case was hidden from the media.

"Well said too many players who are from the “wrong” regions of the world have had their careers and reputations destroyed. It’s shocking to me how they bend the rules & hide it from the media here but for other cases bring down the full force of the law and then brag about it," Lock tweeted.

Rennae Stubbs

Serena Williams' former Rennae Stubbs gave her thoughts on Jannik Sinner doping saga in an interview with ESPN. Stubbs said that while, unfortunately, the doping scandal will follow the Italian throughout his career, he will have a full investigation exonerating him of any wrongdoing and proving his innocence.

"He [Jannik Sinner] will be scrutinized now for the rest of his career sadly, because of this, what happened. But at the same time, he would have under full investigation for this and they have cleared him. They have found that the things that he talked about and his physio talked about, explaining why it happened, they believe. So, we have to believe that the investigation was done thoroughly, and that's why now he has been cleared of it," she said.

Stubbs added that Sinner went through the rigors of doping investigation like many other players, and there was no favoritism shown because of his ranking.

"It goes through a very, very tight investigation. It's not like they are like, 'Well, we like him. Let's just let him keep playing.' That's not how it works. We have seen that with players in the past. Very well known players: Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep. I mean, these are enormously popular tennis players. So, it's not like they are giving him a free pass. This has happened in the past with many, many players," the Australian added.

Kamil Majchrzak

Polish player Kamil Majchrzak said that he felt painful after learning about Jannik Sinner's case. Majchrzak faced a doping scandal of his own after serving a 13-month suspension from professional tennis due to three positive tests of banned substances between September and October 2022. The Pole said that an isotonic drink he consumed contained the banned substance.

Majchrzak returned to tennis in Decmeber 2023. The 28-year-old is currently playing in qualifiers at the 2024 US Open and was left in shock after learning that, unlike him, Jannik Sinner was not given a suspension while his case was being investigated.

"I received news from the tennis world that was shocking and extremely painful for me. I did not go into details for my own health and mental comfort, but the fact that I could not even set foot on a non-private court for most of the duration of my case while others could play normally and fulfill their dreams in the same situation does not give me peace. I am devastated and shocked. But as I said, maybe I am wrong. Besides, who cares what player with lower ranking thinks," Majchrzak wrote on X.

Tara Moore

Tara Moore did not hold while calling out the differential treatment given to Jannik Sinner during his doping case, as he was allowed to continue playing on the ATP Tour while under investigation. Moore was suspended from tennis for 19 months after testing positive for two banned substances.

In a tweet, the Brit opined that only the image of high-ranked players matters and wondered why the independent tribunal, which acquitted Sinner, was being believed in his case and not hers.

"I guess only the top players images matter. I guess only the independent tribunal’s opinion on the top players is taken as sound and right. Yet they question them in my case. Just makes no sense," Moore said.

Jannik Sinner recently won the Cincinnati Open and will next compete at the US Open, where he suffered a fourth-round exit in 2023.

Edited by Neelabhra Roy