Juan Martin del Potro didn't make any accusations against Jannik Sinner but the Argentine described the Italian's doping saga as "strange."
ADVERTISEMENT
A day after the world No. 1 won the Cincinnati Masters, the ITIA announced that the 23-year-old failed two doping tests in March but that the investigation cleared him after it was determined that his physio was fully at fault for a banned substance entering his body.
While Sinner avoided being suspended by the ITIA, the WADA didn't accept that and they contested that verdict, seeking a 1-2 year ban.
But instead of meeting in a CAS court between April 16-17, it was all resolved with a settlement and a three-month doping ban for the reigning Australian Open winner.
Since the ban started on February 9th and ends on May 4th, the Italian will be able to play the Rome Masters and the French Open.
For months, there has been a lot of talk about the Sinner doping case, with some even alleging that he was favored from the start.
ADVERTISEMENT
While del Potro doesn't want to get into any of those theories, he made it perfectly clear that he thought the case was all bud handled well.
Del Potro: Everyone lost a bit of credibility here
"I don't know so many details, I'm not on the Tour. But I can tell you that the whole situation seems strange to me," the 2009 US Open champion said in Rio de Janeiro.
"He tested positive twice in Indian Wells, before the US Open the case was made public and he received no sanction.
"I find that strange, that for many months there were people who knew and they didn't communicate it.
"I don't understand why they announced it before the US Open if the case was closed. I'm not saying whether he was innocent or not, whether it was the physio, the cream.
ADVERTISEMENT
"But I think that everyone here lost a bit of credibility. The ATP, the anti-doping systems, Sinner's image, the fans.
"I don't think anyone came away with anything positive."
The conversations surrounding the Sinner case probably won't go anytime soon but the most important thing for the Italian is that there is no uncertainty anymore.
