Novak Djokovic hopes Jannik Sinner’s steroid scandal will spark change in how tennis deals with anti-doping.
Sinner has denied allegations that he was given special treatment – and insisted his conscience is clean – after he avoided a ban, despite twice testing positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol earlier this year.
‘There is a lot of issues in the system,’ Djokovic said. ‘I can understand the sentiments of a lot of players that are questioning whether they are treated the same.
‘Hopefully the governing bodies of our sport will be able to learn from this case and have a better approach for the future. I think collectively there has to be a change, I think that’s obvious… so that every player, regardless of his ranking or status or profile, is able to get the same kind of treatment.’
Sinner, the current world No 1, finds himself at the center of a doping storm on the eve of this year’s US Open after it emerged that he twice tested positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol back in March.
The news has sparked outrage in the tennis world, with several of his fellow players reacting angrily and suggesting that the very best are afforded special treatment.
Addressing the fallout himself on Friday, Sinner told reporters in New York: ‘I believe I’m a fair player on and off the court… in my mind I know that I haven’t done anything wrong.’
The Italian insisted he ‘always will respect these rules of anti-doping’ and denied that he has benefitted from special treatment. ‘Every player who gets tested positive has to go through the same process. There is no shortcut, there is no different treatment,’ he added.
‘I know sometimes the frustration of other players obviously. 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.’
In the wake of the scandal, Sinner has split with the fitness coach and physiotherapist at the heart of it just days out from the US Open.
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz insisted he will be at 100 per cent by his first round match, despite rolling his ankle during practice on Saturday.
