ROME (AP) — Jannik Sinner considered taking an extended break from tennis earlier this year before he accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Asked during an interview with Italian state TV RAI if he ever thought about dropping everything, the top-ranked Sinner replied, “Yes.
“I remember before the Australian Open this year, it wasn’t a very happy time,” Sinner added. “I didn’t really feel comfortable in the locker room, where we were eating. Players were looking at me differently. I said to myself, ‘Maybe I need to take some time off after Australia.’ I didn’t want (the ban) though.”
Sinner won his second straight Australian Open title in January.
It wasn’t until February that the settlement was made in the doping case, after WADA appealed a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to fully exonerate Sinner for what it deemed to be an accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid in March, 2024.
“I had a tough time accepting these three months. Because I knew that I didn’t do anything wrong. So why do I have to pay this price?” Sinner said. “But then we discussed it with my lawyer and about what could have happened in the worst-case scenario and so we decided to accept it.”
The handling of Sinner’s case had raised questions about double standards. The positive tests weren’t publicly revealed until August because Sinner successfully appealed against being provisionally banned from playing. He then won the U.S. Open in September.
The settlement also raised questions, since it conveniently allows Sinner to return next week at the Italian Open — his home tournament — and not miss any Grand Slams.
“The last year was definitely very stressful,” Sinner said in the interview, which was broadcast late Tuesday. “But we were still able to obtain incredible results. We started this year really well, too. Then what happened happened. At the start it was a bit strange to find myself in that situation. Also, a lot of things happened off the court that I didn’t expect.”
Several top players suggested that Sinner was treated too lightly.
“I don’t even want to respond. Everyone is free to say what they want. For me, the important thing is that I know what happened,” Sinner said. “I don’t wish it upon anyone who is innocent to go through what I went through.”
Despite having played just one tournament this year, Sinner held on to his top ranking during his ban because No. 2 Alexander Zverev and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz didn’t win enough when he was out to overtake him.
“I miss the competition,” Sinner said. “I’m very happy that this period is done and I’m ready to play again.”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
