“Has Novak Djokovic tone written all over it";"Genuinely terrible" - Fans slam PTPA's 'unprofessional' statement on Jannik Sinner's 3-month doping ban

Tennis fans recently criticized the statement released by the Novak Djokovic-led Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) following Jannik Sinner's three-month doping ban. In August 2024, it was revealed that Sinner had tested positive for clostebol twice during the Indian Wells Masters in March.

Despite the positive tests for the prohibited substance, Sinner claimed that the substance had entered his system through a product used by his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, to treat a minor wound. After this, an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) concluded that the World No.1 was not at fault for the Anti-Doping Rule Violations.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was not satisfied with this decision. In September 2024, they appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking a suspension of one to two years for Jannik Sinner.

Recently, it was revealed that WADA has accepted Sinner's explanation and acknowledged that Clostebol did not enhance his performance and as a result, the organization has agreed to a three-month suspension for World No.1.

Following this resolution, the PTPA issued a statement on social media criticizing the handling of Jannik Sinner's case. They accused the authorities of "tailored deals," "unfair treatment" and "inconsistent rulings," and also cited a lack of "transparency," "process" and "consistency" in the whole ordeal.

“The "system" is not a system. It's a club. Supposed case-by-case discretion is, in fact, merely cover for tailored deals, unfair treatment, and inconsistent rulings. It's not just the different results for different players. It's the lack of transparency . The lack of process. The lack of consistency. This bias is unacceptable for all athletes," the PTPA statement read .

The PTPA's statement did not sit well with tennis fans, who took to social media to express their disapproval of the same

One fan suggested that the statement seemed like something Novak Djokovic himself could have written

“This has Djokovic tone written all over it," a fan posted.

One fan deemed the PTPA "genuinely terrible," while another criticized their statement "unprofessional."

“You guys are genuinely terrible at this," a fan wrote.

“Who wrote this? this reads kinds of unprofessional tbh," a fan posted.

Here are some other fan reactions:

“So the system finally treats a player fairly and they complain lol? What a joke PTPA is. These are the kind of statements you should make when players like Jarry or Ymer suffered from harsh doping sanctions. Not when Sinner got good treatment. The goal is for every player to," a fan posted.

“But u guys dont have sh*t to say about the abusers on tour?" a fan wrote.

“The "system" keeps condemning innocent athletes, and you would be a "players' association 😂 Like all the parties you mentioned you also have your own sleazy interests and defend only the players you want to defend for the others the media pillory is fine. Embarrassing @ptpaplayers 🤡 ," a fan posted.

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Jannik Sinner on his three-month doping ban: “I realise WADA's strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love"

Jannk Sinner talking to the press [Image Source: Getty Images]

Jannik Sinner shared his thoughts on the three-month doping suspension he received. In a statement provided to Sky Sports News by his legal team, Sinner acknowledged that WADA's rules and regulations are essential to safeguard the integrity of the sport he "loves."

Sinner mentioned that on this realization, he decided to accept WADA's offer of a three-month suspension to resolve the matter.

"This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year. I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise WADA's strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love . On that basis I have accepted Wada's offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction," Jannik Sinner said.

Jannik Sinner last competed at the 2025 Australian Open, where he successfully defended his title by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. This win marked his second Melbourne Major of his career and his third Grand Slam title overall.