The tennis world is awash with controversy following the suspension of Jannik Sinner, the world number one. The Italian star reached an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that resulted in a three-month suspension, thereby circumventing a hearing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne that was initially scheduled for the 16th and 17th of April.
Sinner’s suspension, which precludes him from participating in professional tour tournaments until the 4th of May, has elicited mixed reactions from the tennis fraternity. His ban also extends to practicing in any official facility, whether in Italy or overseas, until the 13th of April.
The 23-year-old Italian tennis prodigy, who hails from Sesto Pusteria, made waves earlier this year by winning the Australian Open for the second consecutive time. As a result of the suspension, Sinner will miss out on six tournaments, including four Masters 1000 events.
Despite the setback, Sinner is poised to make a triumphant return at the Rome Masters 1000. He had given this tournament a miss in the previous year but is now expected to use it as a launchpad for his preparations for Roland Garros.
The agreement between Sinner and WADA has been met with skepticism and accusations of favoritism. Critics opine that the timing of the suspension is too convenient as it does not coincide with any Grand Slam tournament. There’s a consensus among some players and insiders that Sinner has been accorded preferential treatment.
In spite of the suspension, Sinner’s position at the top of the ATP rankings remains relatively unthreatened, unless Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz can pull off remarkable performances in the three-month period.
Sinner has also come under fire from the German press. The leading German newspaper, Bild, expressed its displeasure at the agreement, describing it as a farce. They pointed out that the suspension period conveniently excludes any Grand Slam events, where the stakes, in terms of both earnings and ATP ranking points, are higher.
In a further twist, the online edition of the German newspaper Zeit accused Sinner of breaching the rules. They referenced a video in which Sinner was seen practicing with Jiri Lehecka on the 14th of February, in preparation for the Doha ATP 500. It’s worth noting, however, that this practice session was held before the formalization of the agreement between Sinner and WADA.