Tennis world number one Jannik Sinner said Friday he was relieved to avoid a doping suspension after twice testing positive for banned substances, but “in my heart I know I did nothing wrong.” Speaking publicly for the first time since the International Tennis Integrity Authority ruled out wrongdoing this week, the 23-year-old Italian accepted his explanation that the drug entered his system when a physiotherapist used a spray containing the drug to treat a cut and then gave the player a massage and sports therapy.
Sinner tested positive for low levels of the banned anabolic drug clostebol in March, once at the Indian Wells Masters and again eight days later in an out-of-competition test.
Sinner was stripped of his Indian Wells result, prize money and 400 ranking points, but the ITIA confirmed this week that an independent adjudicator had found him “without any fault or negligence” in the offences.
Sinner said the months-long process had been a nerve-wracking experience and denied any suggestion he had received special treatment because of his position.
“No, any player who tests positive has to go through the same process,” Sinner said at a press conference ahead of the U.S. Open, which begins on Monday.
“There are no shortcuts, no different treatments. It's all the same process.”
He said he was able to play without serving a lengthy provisional suspension because the team quickly discovered that physiotherapist Giacomo Nardi had used a spray containing the drug to treat an amputated finger.
The spray was given to him by Sinner's trainer, Umberto Ferrara.
Sinner acknowledged that he had severed ties with both men because he had lost trust in them.
“First of all, I want to say that they've played a big role in my career,” he said. “We worked together for two years. We did a great job, we had a lot of success, and I had a great team that supported me.”
“Now these mistakes make me not feel confident to continue with them.
“All I need right now is clean air. You know, it's been a tough last few months. Now I'm waiting for the results, but right now I just need clean air.”
Sinner said he understood the frustration of athletes who had to serve long provisional suspensions while their doping cases were being resolved.
“But the reason they suspended him may be because they didn't know exactly where it came from or what substance it was, but the main reason is where it came from and how it got into his system.”
“I knew right away that it was my spray,” Ferrara said.
“Knowing that it was a spray and knowing how it got into my system, we went back to them straight away and explained everything about how it happened and that's why I got the chance to keep playing.”
He was suspended for several days and was unable to practice during that time, Sinner said.
And as the investigation continued for months, the issue continued to weigh on him, even as he believed he would be exonerated.
“Of course I was worried because it was the first time for me and I hoped it would be the last time I'd be in this situation,” he said.
“I'm just happy it's finally out… it's out. I was waiting for the results, so now it's out. That's it.”
Not everyone believes this problem will be solved so easily.
Australian player Nick Kyrgios said in a post on X that it was “ridiculous” that there was no suspension.
On Monday, the day before the ITIA announcement, American Francis Tiafoe, who lost to Sinner in the final in Cincinnati, refused to take part in the debate.
“The governing body will do what they have to do,” Tiafoe said. “Obviously he's cleared to play and that's all. I'm just trying to focus on the U.S. Open.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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