When Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open title this year, many fans thought that it would be the last Grand Slam we would see him in action this year. The CAS were expected to pass a verdict on his WADA doping appeal in April, and many predicted him to receive a two-year ban.
But then fast forward to February, he has reached an agreement with WADA over his doping controversy, and has only received a three-month ban, which means he will be back before the French Open, thereby not missing any Grand Slams.
Speaking to Clay, Alexander Zverev, who lost to Sinner in Melbourne this year, was asked about WADA and Zverev’s controversial agreement. He said, “It’s a weird situation because it’s been obviously a very long process where first he is cleared, then obviously WADA wanted to have a second look at it and stuff like that. To me, I think, you know, there’s two option.”
“Either you’re at no fault and you should get no suspension at all. Because if you have no fault, then you have no fault. You shouldn’t get punished. But if you do have fault, then I think for taking steroids, three months is not a suspension. So for me, it’s either you have to decide was it his fault or was it not his fault. If it’s not his fault then he shouldn’t get a three-month suspension but if it is his fault then this is weird in a way. The whole process, the whole situation that has been there for the past year almost it’s been just strange,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Musetti, who is present in Buenos Aires with Zverev for a tournament, also commented on the issue. He said, “Everyone is free to have their opinion. I don’t really know the facts, so it’s tough to judge. But of course, I trust the organization, and all the commissions that have been behind the process, which is when they finalized a decision. So if that decision is the three months suspension, for us I don’t think it changed much.”
He was also asked if he has been in contact with Sinner, as they are both Italians. “No, I haven’t been in touch with him, but I will probably see him in Monte Carlo. Because he’s not supposed to play, but of course he will be there,” he said.
Speaking during a press conference, Carlos Alcaraz declined answering a question regarding Sinner. “The truth is there’s little to say. Whether he is there or not doesn’t influence us. We remain focused on us and our goals. The number one is always a goal. As I said, him not being there doesn’t change anything for us. We are trying to get better at what we do and focused on continuing to work to get to number one.”
Sinner and his team have maintained that the positive tests last year were due to unintentional contamination. The Italian has always maintained that he never had any information regarding it. But his agreement with WADA has split the tennis world, with many feeling that the investigation was corrupt.
