“Have To Choose the Lesser Evil,” Jannik Sinner Breaks Down Emotions Over Doping Scandal at the Brink of a Comeback

Jannik Sinner’s life took an unexpected detour in March when he tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance. The tennis world was left stunned. Initially, things looked promising. An independent tribunal by the ITIA ruled that there was “no fault or negligence” on Sinner’s part. But just when it seemed like he could move on, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stepped in. WADA wasn’t satisfied with the ruling. They appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), asking for a suspension of up to one year. The tension began to build as the trial date got closer. Then, in a surprising twist, WADA and Sinner reached a settlement. The result? The World No. 1 accepted a three-month suspension that began in February. The Italian tennis player hasn’t spoken much about the ban since then. But now, for the first time, the 23-year-old is finally opening up.

According to Sinner, the banned substance got into his system through accidental contamination. He claimed that his now-former physio had used clostebol on his own hand before giving him a massage. WADA didn’t dispute that version of events. But they still felt Sinner should take responsibility for the actions of his team.

In his first interview since the suspension, Sinner talked to Sky Sport Italy about the emotional toll it took on him. “I was very fragile because things happened that I didn’t expect, unexpected reactions inside me,” he said. “Otherwise, I would be lying. I would appear to be a person without feelings and emotions, without anything, but in life, you learn.”

He added, “It wasn’t easy; in fact, it was very difficult, but the people around me lifted my spirits; they gave me the strength to better understand what happened.”

With the threat of a longer ban hanging over his head, the World No.1 said he had little choice but to agree to the three-month suspension. “The three-month suspension was a decision to be made in a short time, even if I did not agree with it, in the end you have to choose the lesser evil and I think that is what I did,” he explained. “Even if sometimes I feel that what I am going through is a bit unfair, but it is also true that it could have been much worse, right? This whole story could have been even more unfair, so it went like this.”

Despite everything, Sinner seems to be in a good place right now. “I feel very good. I am rested, so I am happy,” he said. Since being sidelined from the tour, the Italian has been making the most of his time off. “Honestly I have done many different things, I have spent a lot of time with my family, especially with my dad,” he said. “We have done different things with my best friends who are in Monte Carlo. I went go-karting, we went on a bike ride, in short, did many new things.” That’s not all. “We are working really hard in the gym to be even more physically ready when I return,” Sinner said. “Everything is going well.”

Until April 13, he’s not allowed to train with professional players or attend ATP, WTA, or ITF events in any capacity. So he’s been finding other ways to stay active and distracted. Over the past five weeks, fans have seen him skiing, hiking, and even playing padel and golf. He also showed up at Milan Fashion Week, representing Gucci. He went go-karting with Italian racing driver Antonio Giovinazzi and cycling with pro cyclist Giulio Ciccone.

But Jannik Sinner knows that coming back won’t be easy.

Jannik Sinner talks about the pressure to return to his homeground

Sinner’s already missed the Sunshine Doubles—Indian Wells and Miami—and will miss the clay season’s opening Masters events in Monte Carlo and Madrid. His comeback is set for the Rome Masters, the final Masters 1000 event before Roland Garros.

Speaking about his return to his home tournament, the 23-year-old said, “After the decision it took me a while to find myself again. Also because things happened outside this topic that were not easy. I still have to ‘digest’ a little but I am looking forward to returning Rome. But it won’t be easy because there will be so much attention.”

The Rome Masters hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Sinner in the past. His best performance came in 2022 when he reached the quarterfinals, eventually losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 6-2. But this time, all eyes will be on him—for reasons far beyond tennis. Last year the Italian had to withdraw from the event due to a hip injury.

Despite the suspension, Sinner is still the man at the top. With 10,330 points, he’s comfortably ahead of World No. 2 Alexander Zverev (7,645 points) and World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz (6,720 points). Even off the court, he’s remained in control of the rankings.

Jannik Sinner may return as the World No. 1, but can he return as the player who dominated the first part of the season?

The post “Have To Choose the Lesser Evil,” Jannik Sinner Breaks Down Emotions Over Doping Scandal at the Brink of a Comeback appeared first on EssentiallySports.