Jannik Sinner Remains Unnamed Regarding Messages Received During Doping Suspension

Jannik Sinner expressed his astonishment regarding the players who reached out with messages of encouragement at the onset of his three-month doping suspension, equally surprised by those who did not.

The top-seeded athlete is set to return to the tennis circuit at the Italian Open this week, following his agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which raised eyebrows as it allowed Sinner to avoid missing any grand slam events and to make his comeback at his home tournament.

“At the beginning of the suspension, I received unexpected messages from some players, while others I anticipated hearing from didn’t reach out,” Sinner stated. “However, I won’t disclose any names.”

This settlement occurred after WADA contested a previous ruling from the International Tennis Integrity Agency that fully cleared Sinner of wrongdoing, regarding what was regarded as an accidental exposure to a prohibited anabolic steroid in March 2024.

Several of his peers believe Sinner received a lenient treatment, and he recently shared his discomfort within the locker room and players’ lounge during his victorious campaign for a second consecutive Australian Open title in January, remarking that “players were viewing me in a different light.”

Coach Simone Vagnozzi revealed that he and Sinner’s other coach, Darren Cahill, both noticed the stares from others.

“When situations like this arise, it’s almost unavoidable for everyone to scrutinise you. However, there have been some commendable remarks as well,” Vagnozzi remarked, appreciating supportive comments from Holger Rune’s mother, Casper Ruud, and Alexander Zverev.

As his ban neared its end, Sinner trained with Jack Draper, Lorenzo Sonego, and Rune at his training base in Monaco.

At the outset of his suspension, Sinner was prohibited from participating in any sanctioned sports events.

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“I wanted to rally behind my friends in cycling or motorsport,” Sinner noted. “But I was unable to attend. That was the hardest part for me.”

In March, professional cyclist Giulio Ciccone shared a selfie on Instagram featuring himself alongside Sinner and Ferrari endurance racers Alberto Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi during a bike outing.

Cahill has announced his plans to retire at the end of the year, prompting Vagnozzi to contemplate whether he would coach Sinner independently thereafter.

“I could manage on my own,” Vagnozzi said. “However, when working with players at this level, having a different perspective is invaluable. It’s also crucial to balance your time with the player; otherwise, it becomes an all-consuming 365-day commitment, which can be excessive.”

“Still, I’m hoping Darren remains for another five years because we share a fantastic working relationship. He might just be the best coach in terms of results and other measures.”

Vagnozzi noted that Sinner is the fourth player the Australian has coached to achieve the No. 1 ranking, following in the footsteps of legends Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, and Simona Halep. “But above all else, he is a remarkable individual.”

Sinner is set to commence his campaign on Saturday against No. 99 Mariano Navone, who triumphed over the 18-year-old Italian wildcard Federico Cinà with scores of 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday. Sinner enters the tournament on a remarkable 21-match winning streak but hasn’t played competitively since January.