The doping case involving Jannik Sinner appeared to have ended after the acquittal ruling issued by ITIA just before the start of the US Open. The world number 1 was convinced that he had put this bad controversy behind him and won the last Grand Slam of the season, embellishing a 2024 that has consecrated him as a top player of absolute level.
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Just over a week ago, WADA froze everyone by announcing that it had appealed against that acquittal and demanding a one to two year disqualification for the Italian ace. The two-time Grand Slam champion did not hide his huge disappointment, but he promised that he will cooperate with the authorities during the trial to prove his innocence again.
Another complicated months await the 23-year-old from San Candido, who is continuing to play a really excellent season. Jannik did not win the Beijing ATP 500 last week, but he played an epic final against his great rival Carlos Alcaraz only giving up at the decisive tiebreak after more than three hours.
An open case
Sinner confided that he is starting to feel a little tired at this point in the season, but he qualified for the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai by defeating Taro Daniel and Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first two rounds. The Italian ace has shown a remarkable mental strength this year, because it was not easy to express that level of tennis having to face such a delicate process at the same time.
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"I feel I have not received the same treatment as him". The author of this sentenceis Guillermo Coria, captain of the Argentine Davis Cup team who comments on what is happening today to world number 1 Jannik Sinner and compares it to what happened to him in 2001. Coria speaks to the Argentine site Clay, which reconstructs his story: "The Argentinian tennis player tested positive for nandrolone in a test carried out in April 2001. Nandrolone entered his body through a contaminated vitamin supplement. Coria sued the company Universal Nutrition for ten million dollars and finally reached an out-of-court settlement".
"Positive doping - explains the former finalist of Roland Garros - killed me, I was at my best, then I came back with hatred. I spent my savings to bring from Spain a team of psychologists who treated me and showed my personality, I also hired a machine in the United States, I did a genetic study that showed through my hair what I was consuming, I showed how the drug entered my body, through a vitamin complex, which I would not take advantage of, but when I arrived at the process it was already decided".
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Coria was fined 2 years and then reduced to 7 months. Sinner can now continue to play, even though the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has recently appealed this decision to the TAS. "It was a difficult stage for me and I closed it, concluded Coria - because I did not enjoy it at all". Coria, who will be the captain of Argentina and will challenge Italy in November at the Finals in Malaga, says that "the only thing I ask is that everyone be treated equally".
A new team
The world number 1 will have to wait a few months before knowing the final verdict, which will probably arrive within the first three months of next year. The doping case forced Sinner to make some very drastic and painful decisions. His professional relationship with Umberto Ferrara and Giacomo Naldi, both responsible for the contamination, has ended, and a new collaboration with Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio has recently begun.
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"They have a lot of experience and know each other very well. They can help me especially off the court, trying to see new things and figure out how I can improve my game. It's still early to say if it's beneficial for me, but I am very happy to have them on the team Jannik explained after his win over Etcheverry in Shanghai.
The Italian ace also reflected on the ATP calendar: "We have many tournaments, but I feel like this season I chose correctly where to play, and it has not been a problem for me. We have mandatory tournaments, like the Masters, but we can choose whether to play before them or not. Players can decide, so I think it's fine." The two-time Grand Slam champion has slightly changed his schedule compared to previous years. After the tournament in Shanghai, he will play the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia and will not defend his title in Vienna.
