Return to doping lock
Tennis-ace Sinner: At the beginning of the year, stopped at the beginning of the year
Jannik Sinner is number 1 of the tennis world. The doping causa, however, hit the Italian. In an interview, he gives insights into the emotional world – and surprises with a statement.
Tennis star Jannik Sinner thought about his doping lock because of the turmoil. The Italian admitted this in an interview by the broadcaster Rai. When asked whether there was a moment when he wanted to give up everything, the 23-year-old replied after a short hesitation: “Yes. I remember that I didn’t have a very happy phase in front of the Australian Open this year.” At the beginning of January it was still open whether Sinner would be closed for a long time because of his doping finding from spring 2024.
He was excited around the turn of the year how it would be in 2025. “Then I arrived in Australia and did not feel comfortable, for example in the changing room or while eating. The players looked at me differently. It was not nice. It is difficult to live in tennis. I have always been one who makes fun, goes into the changing room and talks to this and that player. But now it was different, it did not feel good.”
Comeback in Rome after three months of doping lock
The world ranking list had considered taking a break after the first Grand Slam tournament – which he won in the final against the German Alexander Zverev. This was forced because Sinner agreed with the Welt-Anti-Doping agency Wada on a lock of three months.
At the South Tyrolean, traces of the Clostebol doping agent were discovered in March 2024. He stated that the substance was unknowingly into his body over the hands of a mass. The agency ITIA responsible for doping procedures believed the tennis professional and waived a lock. In contrast, the Wada later advanced and called the CAS sports court. The negotiation was then canceled after the extrajudicial agreement. Sinner can play again at the Masters tournament in Rome next week.
Sinner insists on it: no preferred treatment
The three-time Grand Slam tournament winner and ATP final champion from 2024 underlined in the interview that he did not get a celebrity bonus. “There was no different procedure. Even if I criticized that I was treated differently. But I had a lot of hearings. And maybe after that they checked myself even more,” said Sinner.
He had to be convinced of the deal with the Wada. “I had a hard time accepting these three months. In my head I thought: I didn’t do anything wrong.” But his lawyer had convinced him that even worse alternatives threaten a process. He had to accept that there was also criticism from illustrious athletes. “But I don’t wish anyone to do this as an innocent person.”
dpa
Source: Stern
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