By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Photo credit: Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium
Daniil Medvedev is chasing Jannik Sinner in the rankings race, but wouldn't want to be in the world No. 1's shoes as his doping case took another turn.
WADA is appealing Sinner's steroid case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport—and seeking a ban of one to two years for the world No. 1.
More: WADA Appeals Sinner's Doping Case, Seeks Ban for World No. 1
“It is WADA’s view that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was not correct under the applicable rules," WADA said in a statement on Saturday. "WADA is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. "WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”
Asked his view on the matter in Beijing, Medvedev called it "a tricky situation" and said he believes fellow players are split in their views of Sinner's situation.
"I would generally think that the view, like everything in life, is some think that he should be banned, whatever, some think no, he should not be," Medvedev told the media in Beijing. "My view is always on these things is kind of try to distance myself where the situation is very tough for him, for sure, to deal with it.
"As I always said, no one wants to be in this situation because, I said it in US Open press, for me imagine tomorrow you get an email, because I think it's an email, you fail your doping test. They say for whatever reason, like cocaine or some drug you don't even know the name of. You're like, Wow, what I do now because I have no idea how it happened that it's in my pee, blood, whatever.
"So, yeah, it's a tricky situation."
Reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Sinner said he's disappointed by WADA's appeal. Sinner, who twice tested positive for metabolites of the banned steroid clostebol, was permitted to continue playing as he twice successfully appealed, eventually earning a "no fault" decision from an independent tribunal.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed and also surprised," Sinner told the media in Beijing. "We had three hearings. "All three hearings came out very positively for me. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position.”
The 2021 US Open champion Medvedev, who lost to Sinner in the 2024 AO final, said he's "sympathetic" to the two-time Grand Slam champion, but doesn't believe the case scars tennis.
"I want to say he does what he needs to do. WADA does probably what they need to do," Medvedev said. "Let's see how it finishes. We thought maybe it was finished, but no.
"Yeah, I'm the same a little bit like Carlos [Alcaraz]. I'm sympathetic to Jannik. I don't think it has a bad, really bad look in tennis because I think, yeah, if 10 top-10 players suddenly would be on the same substance or something, it would be different. I think it's just an individual situation which we'll see how it ends."