By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, August 23, 2024

NEW YORK—The No. 1 next to Jannik Sinner’s name now comes with a bulls-eye on his his back.

World No. 1 Sinner says he’s relieved news that he twice tested positive for a banned steroid in March—and was not suspended—is finally out and now hopes clearing the air will help clear his head ahead of the US Open, which starts on Monday.

More: Jannik Sinner Tests Positive for Steroids

Meeting with the media at the US Open for his first press conference since the ITIA announced and independent tribunal convened by Sport Resolutions ruled that the 23-year-old Italian superstar “bears No Fault or Negligence for two Anti-Doping Rule Violations under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), having twice tested positive for the prohibited substance clostebol in March 2024.”

Cincinnati champion Sinner reiterated his statement on social media that he did not intentionally dope.



Acknowleding the timing of his anti-doping case a week before the US Open is “not ideal”, Sinner said “relief” was his immediate emotion learning he was not suspended.

“It's not ideal before a Grand Slam. But, you know, in my mind I know that I haven't done anything wrong,” Sinner told the media packed in Arthur Ashe Stadium interview room one. “I had to play already months with this in my head, but, you know, just remembering myself that I haven't done really anything wrong. I always respect that these rules, and I always will respect these rules of anti-doping.

“Yeah, just obviously a relief for myself having this result. And, yeah, so it's just good to be back here. It's an amazing city, amazing place to play tennis. I will just trying to enjoy as much as I can and hopefully having a good tournament.”

Conceding he was “worried” he could be banned, Sinner said he was also confident he would be cleared because he believes the minute trace amounts of clostebol in his system reinforce his claim of inadvertent contamination.

“Of course I was worried, because it was the first time for me, you know, and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation, position,” Sinner said. “There also a different part we have to see is the amount I had in my body, which is 0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up a 1. So I was worried, of course, because I'm always the player who was working very, very carefully in this. I believe I'm a fair player on and off the court.”

The top-seeded Sinner confirmed coach Darren Cahill’s statement on Wednesday that both his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, and his trainer Umberto Ferrara, have been dropped from his team because he no longer had “confidence” in the pair following his failed doping test. Cahill and co-coach Simone Vagnozzi are with Sinner in New York.

“I want to start with that they have been a huge part for my career. We worked together for two years,” Sinner said. “We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me.

“Now, because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them. The only thing I just need right now, just some clean air. You know, I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.”

 

 

 

 

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Australian Open champion Sinner and his team first learned he tested positive for the banned steroid Clostebol shortly after he won the Miami Open championship last March. Coach Darren Cahill traced the positive test to Sinner's physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who the team claims inadvertently contaminated Sinner with a medication he used to treat a cut on his finger.

The medication, available over the county in Italy and other European countries, was given to Naldi by Sinner's trainer, Umberto Ferrara.

While some players have publicly supported Sinner, others have pointed to a double standard that he was able to continue competing while some other players, who also claimed inadvertent contamination, were not. Sinner said the fact authorities accepted his explanation almost “straightaway” was why his provisional suspension was so brief.

“I know sometimes the frustration of other players obviously,” Sinner said. “But maybe because they got suspended is they didn't know exactly where it comes from, also what substance, but the main reason is where it comes from and how it entered in his own system. We knew it straightaway, and we were aware of what happened.

"We went straightaway, and I was suspended for two, three days. I couldn't practice and everything. But they accepted it very, very fast, and that's why.”



Asked if he believes his reputation will take a hit with fans and fellow players, Sinner said time will tell.

“For me, I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven't done anything wrong. I knew that I was very clean, and I knew that I was always very looking forward to be a fair player,” Sinner said. “Obviously it's coming out this notification, it might change a couple of things, but whoever knows me very well knows that I haven't done and I would never do something what goes against the rules.

“Obviously it has been a very tough moment for me and my team. It still is, because it's quite, you know, fresh, this everything. Yeah, I mean, let's see. Here I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend, no, because my friends, they know that I would never do that, and sticking together. About the reputation, we will see now, now moving forward, no? Because this, I can't really control.”