Tennis star Jessica Pegula has joined the growing list of high-profile players slamming the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over its controversial three-month suspension deal with Jannik Sinner.
With outrage spreading across the tennis world, Pegula—currently in Dubai for the WTA 1000 event—didn’t hold back in her scathing critique of how the case was handled.
🔥 “I don’t think any of the players trust the process at all right now. Zero. It’s just a horrible look for the sport.” 🔥
Sinner’s Suspiciously Short Suspension Sparks Fury
The men’s World No. 1 tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance, during March 2024’s Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami). After months of investigation, WADA shocked the tennis community by striking a deal with the Italian star:
🚨 Instead of facing the standard 1-2 year ban, Sinner accepted a mere 3-month suspension.
The official statement from WADA sparked instant backlash:
“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms that it has entered into a case resolution agreement in the case of Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, with the player accepting a three-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.”
The lenient punishment, which conveniently allows Sinner to return just in time for the French Open, raised immediate red flags across the tennis world.
Pegula—never one to shy away from tough issues—wasted no time in calling out the broken system.
Pegula: “This Just Makes No Sense”
🎤 Speaking to the media in Dubai, Pegula tore into WADA’s inconsistency:
💬 “Whether you think he did it or not, the process just seems to be completely not a process.”
The American World No. 5 voiced concerns that tennis players can’t trust the sport’s anti-doping system, given how arbitrary and inconsistent the rulings seem to be.
💬 “It seems to just be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just make up their own ruling. I don’t really understand how that’s fair for players.”
The biggest concern? The sheer power WADA holds over players’ careers, with no real system of accountability.
💬 “I feel like they have so much power to ruin someone’s career. I think there needs to be something done about that because it just seems really unfair.”
Players Unite Against WADA’s “Unfair” Ruling
Pegula is far from alone in her criticism of the Sinner deal.
📢 Top players calling out the agreement include:
- Daniil Medvedev: “I hope this sets a precedent, otherwise it’s just strange.”
- Stan Wawrinka: “I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore.”
- Nick Kyrgios: “No fairness in tennis. Sad day for the sport.”
- PTPA (Novak Djokovic’s Player Association): “This is bias, plain and simple.”
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has called for a full review of the decision, alleging that star players are given special treatment while lesser-known athletes face harsher punishments for similar offenses.
What’s Next for Sinner? What’s Next for Tennis?
🚨 Sinner will serve his suspension until May 4, just in time for Roland Garros.
🚨 WADA is now facing calls for a full review of the case and its decision-making process.
As Pegula, Medvedev, Kyrgios, and other top names continue to apply pressure, this controversy isn’t going away anytime soon.
💭 Will WADA respond to the backlash? Or is this just another case of a broken system favoring the sport’s biggest names?
