'Sad day for tennis': Kyrgios rages at Jannik Sinner's 3-month ban, Wawrinka fumes; 'Don't believe in clean sport'
Nick Kyrgios had another heated response after Jannik Sinner had a three-month ban levied against him by WADA.
A big development occurred in men’s tennis world number one Jannik Sinner’s ongoing doping scandal, as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed via a press release that Sinner is set to serve a three-month suspension from the sport, after Sinner and his team reached a settlement with representatives of WADA and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The Sinner case has been a divisive one in the tennis world, with several disagreements regarding the lack of punishment Sinner received, with the Italian continuing to play and even sealing a trophy in the first grand slam of the year, as he lifted his second Australian Open title in Melbourne in January.
One of the louder critics of Sinner is Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, known for his outspoken personality. Kyrgios has consistently questioned why Sinner was being treated differently to other athletes and tennis players who have fallen foul of anti-doping rules, and took to social media to once again voice his displeasure.
“So wada come out and say it would be a 1-2 year ban,” wrote Kyrgios on his X account. “Obviously (Sinner’s) team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3 month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost. Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.”
Kyrgios has not been quiet about his frustration with regards to Sinner, publicly calling him out as a cheater at various points ahead of the Australian Open, where he claimed he would have a partisan home crowd make it a miserable experience for the world number if they went head-to-head at Melbourne Park. While Sinner went on to dominate and lift the trophy, Kyrgios lost in straight sets in the first round.
Another high-profile player questioned the decision, with Stanislas Wawrinka stating “I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore …”
Sinner to return in time for Roland Garros, Wimbledon
The Italian is due to miss professional tennis action until May 5th, having tested positive for banned substance clostebol in March of last year before being handed a provisional suspension in September following an investigation by an independent tribunal into the case. However, Sinner would go on to win the US Open and the World Tour Finals in 2024 despite being under scrutiny, holding on to his world number one ranking.
Sinner will likely make a return in time for the French Open, meaning he won’t miss any grand slam events. Nevertheless, he stands to lose out on a ton of points as well as his number one ranking as he misses Masters 1000-level events in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid. Sinner’s first tournament on return is likely to be his home tournament at the Rome Masters, beginning May 7.
WADA’s press release confirmed that athletes are allowed to appeal for a settlement decision under Article 10.8.2 of the WADA code. The release also confirmed that “Mr. Sinner did not intend to cheat,” and that the trace amounts of clostebol didn’t enhance his performance and was “the result of negligence of members of his entourage.”
Nevertheless, the suspension is a result of WADA holding athletes liable for negligence on part of their team, with Sinner previously having parted ways with physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and trainer Umberto Ferrara after claiming the clostebol inadvertently entered his system via an over-the-counter cream available in Italy.