Jimmy Connors says playing tennis actually helps Jannik Sinner right now but also adds that he fears the game would not be able to recover if their top-ranked player received a doping suspension.
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In late September, the tennis world was rocked by the news of the Italian failing two doping tests in March. When the ITIA made the announcement, it came to light that the 23-year-old tested positive for a banned steroid during and after the Indian Wells Masters - but since he was quickly able to determine that it entered his body through a contaminated over-the-counter spray used by his physiotherapist - he was allowed to keep playing. Following the investigation, he was deemed innocent and avoided any suspension.
However, that wasn't the end of Sinner's problems after the WADA lodged an appeal to the CAS in late September. In their statement, the WADA stated that they didn't feel it was correct to say that the Italian bore no fault or negligence for the failed doping test. Also, they revealed that they were hoping to get a suspension for the two-time Grand Slam champion in the range of one to two years.
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Over the last couple of years, the ITIA has suspended numerous players over failed doping tests or match-fixing activities. But so far, only lower-ranked players have been involved in such illegal actions - never a tennis superstar. Since Sinner has won two Slams this year and has been ranked at No. 1 for the past couple of months, him potentially receiving a doping suspension would make all the headlines and definitely would not be a good image for tennis.
Its his escape. Once he is out on that court he has too much to think about. His own game, his opponent. He knows what it is going to take to win. But what do you do for the other 20 hours over the rest of the day? I am not so close to it that I understand just what a grain of salt of that does. And to be honest, thats not my style to be a part of that. Listen, all I know is that I dont think tennis at that level could survive that to hit a top player. They have shown in the past that they are not afraid to hit lower-ranked players and discard them from the game. But I dont know if tennis at that level could take it," Connors said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
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Sinner didn't hide that he wasn't feeling well after the latest development in his case
A day after the 23-year-old won the Cincinnati Masters, the announcement came out that he failed a doping test but was cleared. In the next couple of weeks, he heard some pretty strong takes on his case and admitted that it wasn't easy for him but still won the US Open.
Just when it seemed that his situation was calming down, the WADA decided to appeal the initial ruling in his case. That means that he will once again have to prove his innocence and convince judges that he should not be banned. In his first tournament since the WADA move in Beijing, Sinner confessed to reporters that he was going through "sleepless nights."
"First of all, it's not a situation where I like to be in, no? It's a very delicate and difficult and also different situation. But what I know is that I always try to remind myself that I haven't done anything wrong, which already just gives you a little bit of heads up. For sure I had sleepless nights during this time. Now again it's going to be not easy," he admitted in Beijing.
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"It's reminding you that this could happen potentially. Obviously disappointed that I am again in this situation. I just try to stay somehow focused on my work and trying to do everything possible I can to be ready for each match I play. But yeah, this is a very difficult moment for me and also for my team. So it's not only me who is (indiscernible), but it's also the team. I also keep the people close who I feel very good with, people who know me as a person. They know me, so yeah... But it's not easy, that's for sure."
Since then, Sinner finished as runner-up in Beijing but won the Shanghai Masters and also last week's star-studded Six Kings Slam in Riyadh. In the remainder of the year, the Italian has three events on his schedule - the Paris Masters, the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals.
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So far, the world No. 1 has managed to play well while going through a very challenging period. It remains to be seen if Sinner will manage to keep it that way for the rest of this season.
