Novak Djokovic reveals how tennis players really feel about Jannik Sinner ban

Novak Djokovic gave a brutally honest response when asked how tennis players really feel about Jannik Sinner’s three-month ban from the sport. It was announced on Saturday that Sinner will serve an immediate suspension after a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in a decision described ‘dodgy as’ and ‘too convenient’ by Australian star Nick Kyrgios and former British No.1 Tim Henman respectively.

The Italian world No.1 superstar, who won the Australian Open title last month, failed two drug tests last year and is banned until May 4, meaning he won’t miss any Grand Slams and is free to play at the French Open. Sinner twice tested positive for clostebol, a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass, with WADA accepting his explanation that he was accidentally contaminated by a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the banned substance to treat a finger cut.

The Sinner scandal has been a big talking point – with many feeling the 23-year-old has benefited from special treatment – and 24-time major winner Djokovic has now revealed how other players really feel about the situation. ‘It’s not a good image for our sport, that’s for sure,’ Djokovic said. ‘The majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening. ‘It seems like it appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you are a top player, if you have access to the top lawyers and whatnot.’.

Sinner isn’t the only tennis star accused of receiving special treatment due to his profile, following last month’s news that WADA will not appeal against the one-month ban handed to Polish world No.2 Iga Swiatek. Swiatek, one of the biggest names on the WTA Tour, tested positive for trimetazidine but the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled the adverse finding was due to a contaminated non-prescription medication.

Djokovic feels that Sinner and Swiatek were treated differently to Romania’s Simona Halep and British player Tara Moore, who were hit with significantly lengthier bans in cases which dragged on much longer. ‘Swiatek and Sinner are innocent and it’s proven, unless it’s proven otherwise,’ Djokovic added. ‘So, right now we know they’re innocent. ‘We’ve seen on social media, Simona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known, that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years or have gotten the ban for years.’.

Halep was slapped with a four-year suspension in 2022, which was eventually reduced to nine months following a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). British doubles specialist Moore, meanwhile, was forced to serve a 19-month ban despite a tribunal later finding that contaminated meat was the cause of the banned substances she tested positive for. Moore, reacting to Sinner’s ban on social media on Monday, said: ‘I don’t think any of this was Sinner’s fault. I’m simply asking that everyone get the same treatment.

‘I hope his case will further improve the conditions in which players are treated and will be a precedent for future cases’ timelines.’. Djokovic believes that anti-doping processes in tennis need an urgent review. ‘I think right now it’s a ripe time for us to really address the system, because the system and the structure obviously doesn’t work with anti-doping,’ the 37-year-old said. ‘It’s obvious. So, I hope that in the next period of the near future that the governing bodies are going to come together with our Tours and the tennis ecosystem and try to find a more effective way to deal with these processes.’.

Meanwhile, in other tennis news, Djokovic has confirmed his partnership with coach Andy Murray will continue ‘indefinitely’. Djokovic stunned the tennis world in November when he announced that his former Big Four rival Murray was set to join his coaching team for the Australian Open, in a move which delighted many fans across the globe. British icon Murray helped the Serbian reach the semi-finals before Djokovic was forced to retire with injury, and the duo decided after the tournament that they’d have a ‘cool off’ period before making future plans.

In a fresh update, Djokovic told the ATP Tour’s in-house media channel: ‘It is indefinite in terms of how long we are going to work together. ‘But we agreed most likely in the States and some clay-court tournaments. We will see how it goes after that. ‘He obviously has a unique perspective on my game. He has played me and all of the current best players in the world and knows everyone well. ‘He knows exactly what we need to do tactically – the evolution of my game and what needs to be improved.