Novak Djokovic – no stranger himself to controversy – put the boot into Jannik Sinner, branding the Italian’s three-month doping ban as “favouritism.”
World No; 1 Sinner accepted the three-month suspension after positive tests in 2024; he was ruled innocent in the case with a now-departed team physio blamed for using an ointment containing the banned substance to treat a cut on his own hand.
It then got transferred to Sinner through his skin.
But Djokovic – kicked out of the US Open in 2020 for accidentally clocking a lineswoman in the face with a ball hit in anger – let loose on Sinner, who will return to the Tour in early May.
“I spoke with several players in the locker room, not only in the last few days but also in the previous months,” the world No 7 divulged. “Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone, and they don’t think it’s fair.
“Many of them believe there was favouritism. It almost seems like you can influence the result if you are a top player, and if you have access to top lawyers and so on.”
Britain’s Draper took a completely opposite view, siding with competitors including Casper Ruud and Matteo Berrettini.
“I do not think it is good for the sport that the number one player in the world and someone who is doing incredible things is having a ban, but he will be back shortly and I wish him all the best and hope he is going to be okay.”
Draper added: “Jannik a good friend. I’m sure he would not have done something intentional.
“But that is the sport and we have to be accountable for what goes in our bodies. He has a ban now for a few months. I don’t think that is good for tennis.”
Djokovic, along with tennis outlaw Nick Kyrgios, who has slammed Sinner as a drugs cheat in social media tantrums, refuses to give the Italian world No. 1 any benefit of the doubt, even with doping bosses admitting the player was not involved in any cheating.”
Sinner will have a three-month suspension due to some mistakes and negligence of some members of his team, who are working on the tour,” Djokovic said at the ATP Doha event.
“This is also something that I personally and many other players find strange.”“(The antidoping system) is inconsistent and it seems very unfair to me.”
Main photo:- Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic slam Sinner doping decision – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
