Many players did not like at all the way the authorities handled Jannik Sinner's doping case, which ended with a controversial out-of-court settlement with WADA for a three-month ban (Feb. 9 to May 4).
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The world number 1--on the advice of his legal team--agreed to this settlement to avoid going to trial before the TAS in Lausanne, which would have posed a risk as WADA continued to push for at least a one-year suspension.
At the same time, WADA could not afford the risk of an acquittal of Jannik after all the scandals that have engulfed it in recent times and knew that this case was far from doping in its traditional meaning.
Wawrinka on Sinner's case again
The timing of the Italian's ban has made several players and insiders suspicious, because it allows the world number 1 not to miss a single Grand Slam tournament and to return to action right at the Rome Masters 1000 in front of his
fans.
One of the players most critical of this case had been Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who wrote on X that he no longer believed in clean sport.
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The 3-time Grand Slam champion - who is currently in Naples (Italy) to play a Challenger on red clay - spoke again about Sinner in an interview with 'Il Corriere dello Sport'.
So many negative things have happened in men's and women's tennis in recent years, and the image of our sport has been damaged. I hope the situation will improve in the future - explained Stanimal.
My tweet against Sinner? The world No.1 on the men's and women's tours have both performed well in the past year. We learned this news many months later, there was a total lack of transparency.
No one is happy that the world number 1 cannot compete, but we demand more transparent proceedings in the future"- added the Swiss.
Jannik and Stan had always had a very good relationship before these surprising statements.
