(Sports news, tennis news) Jannik Sinner, the world’s number 1 tennis player, had an impressive victory over Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters. But doping worries still haunt him, causing him to “lose his smile”.
Sinner worried about doping
Jannik Sinner, the world number one, won the Shanghai Masters final against Novak Djokovic with a score of 7(7)-6, 6-3. But behind this glory were sad thoughts. The doping issue somewhat overshadowed the Italian’s success, even though he was having the best season of his career.
Sinner can keep any titles he achieves, but is not sure if he will be banned from competing.
Sinner spoke frankly in a press conference after the victory, when asked about the doping crisis that has lasted since August.
“This year has been really tough for me, because of the problems off the court,” he admitted. Sinner’s positive test for Clostebol, a banned steroid, came as a surprise to many. Although the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) confirmed that he did not intentionally use the banned substance, it still had negative effects.
Sinner also opened up about losing the joy of playing tennis: “There are times when I lose my smile, because the problems off the court make it difficult for me to play comfortably. Even if I win, that doesn’t mean I don’t have problems. I just want everything to end soon so I can play more freely and enjoy more.”
Jannik Sinner’s future remains uncertain as his doping case continues to drag on and has yet to be officially concluded. Although ITIA determined that Sinner did not intentionally use banned substances, and was only penalized with ranking points and prize money, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) still appealed and requested a one to two year ban on the star.
This puts Sinner in a difficult position, although there is no specific date for a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
If CAS upholds WADA’s appeal, Sinner could be banned for up to two years, a blow to the Italian’s career, which was at its peak, winning Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and US Open.
However, WADA also confirmed that they did not request the cancellation of Sinner’s results at the two Grand Slam tournaments that Sinner won, or all other events, and that the punishment (if any) would only focus on the 23-year-old’s future.
Sinner is still able to play, but his mind is not completely at ease. He admits that the pressure from off-court issues makes it difficult for him to play with the same freedom and enjoyment as before.
In the meantime, Sinner and his team will have to prepare carefully for the legal battle with WADA. Once the final decision from CAS is made, it will be final and binding.
If found guilty, Sinner can appeal to the Swiss Federal Court within 30 days of the CAS ruling, but this is a complicated and time-consuming process. Sinner can now be happy to win another trophy, but he cannot shake off the anxiety of not being able to completely escape the “ghost” of doping.
