Jannik Sinner 'surprised' as doping case reignites with WADA appeal

Jannik Sinner, aged 23, expressed his "disappointment and surprise" on Saturday following the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) decision to appeal the ruling that cleared him in his steroid case, as they seek a suspension of up to two years.

The Italian, currently ranked as the world's number one, tested positive for traces of the banned substance clostebol in March but was subsequently exonerated, allowing him to continue competing.

Earlier this month, Sinner secured his second major title by winning the US Open, shortly after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) determined that he "bears no fault or negligence."

The ITIA accepted his account that the substance entered his system when his physiotherapist applied a spray containing clostebol to treat a cut, followed by massage and sports therapy.

On Thursday, WADA appealed this high-profile case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In a statement released on Saturday, WADA asserted, "It is WADA's view that the finding of 'no fault or negligence' was not correct under the applicable rules."

The announcement of the appeal coincided with Sinner's match at the China Open, where he made a comeback to defeat Russian player Roman Safiullin, ranked 69th, with scores of 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in Beijing.

"WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years," the statement continued.

Sinner has consistently denied any intention to dope and remarked after his victory, "Obviously I'm very disappointed and also surprised. We had three hearings. All three hearings came out very positively for me."

Clostebol is classified as an anabolic agent that is prohibited at all times by WADA.

Following his triumph at the US Open, Sinner acknowledged that the controversy surrounding his positive tests remains on his mind.

He defeated Taylor Fritz in straight sets to add the New York title to his earlier Australian Open victory in January.

"It was and it's still on my mind. It's not that it's gone, but when I'm on court, I try to focus on the game, and I strive to manage the situation in the best possible way, maintaining communication with my team during practice," stated the world number one.

It was undoubtedly a challenging experience; however, I made a concerted effort to maintain my focus, and I believe I succeeded admirably in that regard.

The decision to clear the Italian player was met with skepticism by several individuals in the locker room, who implied that Sinner had received preferential treatment due to his standing in the sport.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios expressed his discontent in a post on X, labeling the absence of a suspension as "ridiculous."

Canadian player Denis Shapovalov remarked that the ruling demonstrated that there are "different rules for different players," implying that Sinner's ranking played a role in his favorable outcome.

During the match in Beijing, Sinner initially struggled against the 'lucky loser' Safiullin, having also dropped a set in his first-round victory over Chile's Nicolas Jarry.

The second set remained on serve until the sixth game, when Sinner finally managed to break, taking a 4-2 lead and celebrating with a subtle fist pump.

Sinner established control early in the deciding set, ultimately securing a comfortable victory that advanced him to the quarter-finals, where he will compete against Jiri Lehecka from the Czech Republic.

In excellent form, Sinner has reached at least the quarter-finals in every tournament he has participated in this year.

SportsLigue