Jannik Sinner is facing significant challenges both on and off the tennis court. Despite his impressive comeback victory at the China Open, where he rallied after losing the first set to Roman Safiullin (3-6, 6-2, 6-3)(
), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is appealing a ruling that had previously exonerated him from a doping accusation.
Sinner had tested positive for an anabolic steroid in March 2024, but a tribunal cleared him, accepting that the substance entered his system accidentally during a massage treatment. However, WADA is now pushing for a ban of up to two years, contesting the initial ruling and seeking further legal action(
Despite these external pressures, Sinner remains focused on his performance, maintaining his position as world No. 1 and continuing to fight on the court while preparing to defend his innocence once again in the legal arena.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has responded to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) decision to appeal his case, expressing his surprise and disappointment.
Speaking after his hard-fought win over Roman Safiullin at the China Open, where he came from behind to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and advance to the ATP 500 quarter-finals, Sinner addressed the appeal, which overshadowed his on-court performance.
The Italian, who failed two anti-doping tests in March due to the presence of clostebol, a banned substance, avoided suspension after claiming the substance came from a spray his former physiotherapist used. Despite three independent hearings clearing Sinner of any wrongdoing, WADA has opted to appeal the decision.
Sinner admitted his surprise, saying, “Obviously, I’m very disappointed and also surprised by this appeal because we had three hearings, and all came out very positively for me. I was not expecting this. I knew a couple of days ago that they were going to appeal, but it’s still surprising.”
WADA has called for a period of ineligibility between one and two years for the 23-year-old, and the appeal will now go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Despite the ongoing legal battle, Sinner remains focused on his tennis and continues to defend his China Open title.
In a lengthier statement, Sinner reiterated his frustration: “I am disappointed to hear that WADA has chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA [International Tennis Integrity Agency] hearing after independent judges exonerated me. There were three hearings, each confirming my innocence, and it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking another set of judges to review the same facts.”
Sinner assured his fans that he will fully cooperate with the appeal process, saying, “I have nothing to hide. I will continue to cooperate fully with the process and provide whatever is needed to prove my innocence once again.”
As the case heads to CAS, Sinner remains focused on his tennis, with his quarter-final against Jiri Lehecka set to take place tomorrow.
