"Jannik Sinner has lost his image, but so has tennis" - Ex-ATP pro gives his verdict on Italian's doping controversy

Former ATP professional and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario's brother Emilio has shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner’s doping controversy. The Italian tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in early 2024, the news of which broke just ahead of the US Open.

Sinner failed two doping tests conducted in March. During an in-competition test in the Indian Wells Masters, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reported "an adverse analytical finding" of clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, in his blood.

However, the 23-year-old was not suspended because the ITIA determined that Giacomo Naldi, Sinner's ex-physiotherapist, had used a spray called Trofodermin, which contains clostebol, to treat a cut on the player's finger. Naldi reportedly administered massages to Sinner's legs and feet with his bare hands, inadvertently transferring trace amounts of the substance.

In an interview with Marca, Emilio Sanchez shared his views on the current state of tennis. When asked about WADA's ongoing doping case against Jannik Sinner, Sanchez noted that the World No. 1’s reputation had taken a hit, particularly since he didn’t face the same consequences as others in similar situations.

“Sinner has lost his image, but so has tennis,” the former doubles World No. 1 said.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced in October that it had appealed the verdict in Sinner's doping case. Regarding that, the Spaniard said Sinner should defend himself once more:

“Sinner must defend his case again… Nobody wants him to test positive.”

"I have not had any different treatment" - Jannik Sinner hit back at critics following doping saga

Jannik Sinner | Image Source: Getty

In an interview with ESPN ahead of the US Open, Jannik Sinner addressed criticism surrounding his doping case, asserting that he had not received any special treatment. His comments came after he faced allegations of double standards in how the ITIA handled his doping case.

He said:

"The reason why I kept playing is because we (the team) knew exactly how it (the banned substance) entered my system and where this clostebol was from, no? And this was in the spray.”

“All things considered, I have not had any different treatment," he added.

Among those who criticized Sinner amid the doping controversy were Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, and Tara Moore. Kyrgios went a step further and expressed his eagerness to face the Italian at the 2025 Australian Open, vowing to turn the crowd against him.