Serena Williams' ex-coach gives his verdict on Jannik Sinner doping ban

Serena Williams' former coach, Rick Macci, shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner’s recent doping suspension.

On Saturday, February 15, Sinner reached a settlement with WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and agreed to serve a three-month suspension from tennis. This decision came after he tested positive for a banned substance twice in 2024.

In March last year, the Italian tested positive twice for the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol. The first positive result came during an in-competition test at the Indian Wells Masters, and just eight days later, an out-of-competition test before the Miami Open also confirmed the presence of the substance.

At the time, he wasn’t hit with any major charges, as the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled out a suspension. Their investigation found that only a trace amount of the substance had entered his system unintentionally. This occurred when his former physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, treated a cut on his finger with Trofodermin, a spray containing Clostebol, and later massaged Sinner’s legs.

In September 2024, WADA sought a ruling to overturn the decision that cleared Jannik Sinner of "no fault or negligence," instead pushing for a 1-2 year ban. However, he was allowed to continue playing and went on to win the first Grand Slam of the season at the Australian Open. Following his victory, he settled to serve a three-month ban, which was timed in a way that allowed him to avoid missing any major tournaments.

Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, shared his thoughts on the ongoing controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner’s ban. On February 20, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his feelings on the matter.

“Lets take a deep breath on the SINNER BAN. Rules of the game are no rules. Case by case situation. Just like a regular court of law on the when the law is broken. There are guide lines and lawyers and every time you go into a COURT even basketball it is a Jump Ball. @janniksin,” the veteran American coach wrote.

The World No. 1 is sidelined until May 4 but will be eligible to return in time for the French Open in May.

Jannik Sinner makes his feelings known after 3-month ban

Jannik Sinner | Image Source: Getty

After a year-long doping controversy, Jannik Sinner has reached a settlement with WADA, agreeing to a three-month ban. The Italian addressed the situation in a statement, taking responsibility for the mistakes made by his team.

He said:

"This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year.”

The 23-year-old added:

“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 3-month sanction."