True cost of Jannik Sinner’s ‘very odd’ drug ban revealed as he misses out on a big prize
Jannik Sinner appeared to escape with only a limited punishment when he accepted a three-month ban to end his doping controversy at the start of 2025, but the full cost of his suspension has now been felt.
The Italian served a three-month ban prior to the Italian Open in May after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters tournament.
He could have been banned for a year if his case had gone against him at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the plea bargain he made with the World Anti-Doping Agency ensuring he didn’t miss any Grand Slam tournaments.
After reaching the final of the French Open a few weeks after his suspension ended, Sinner took advantage of his good fortune after he was only banned for a brief period of time by winning at Wimbledon and going on to lift three more titles in the second half of the season.
The timing of his suspension sparked plenty of criticism, with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic among those who had big questions over how his case was handled.
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“That cloud will follow him just as the cloud of Covid will follow me, for the rest of his, or my career in this case,” said Djokovic in his interview with Piers Morgan.
“When this happened, I was shocked, honestly. I don’t think he did it on purpose, but the way the case was handled, there were so many red flags, honestly.
“There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience of the ban coming, between the Slams, so he doesn’t miss out the others – it’s just, it was very, very odd.
“I really don’t like how the case was being handled and you could hear so many other players, both male and female, who had some similar situations coming out in the media, and complaining that it was a preferable treatment.
“I want to believe (him). My history with him, I think, he didn’t do it on purpose, but of course, he is responsible. That’s the rules. So when you see people who had something very similar or same being banned for years and he’s banned for three months, it’s not right.”
Those comments from Djokovic brought Sinner’s positive doping test back to the forefront of attention and while it appeared to many that he had a lenient punishment after traces of a performance-enhancing drug were found in his system, he has paid a heavy price in the end.
Carlos Alcaraz’s coronation as year-end world No 1 had a direct link to Sinner’s ban because while the young Spaniard has been magnificent all season, he was helped over the line in the battle to finish as No 1 by Sinner’s absence for a quarter of the season.
Sinner missed three ATP Masters 1000 events during his ban and he would have picked up plenty of ranking points if he had played those events, which may have left Alcaraz chasing his rival for the No 1 position.
While year-end world No 1 ranking titles do not define a career, they are a magical addition to the CV of any top player and Alcaraz has now achieved the feat for a second time after Sinner secured his first No 1 ranking title last year.
Alcaraz was crowned as the ATP’s top player for 2025 in from of Sinner’s fans in Turin on Friday and it is safe to assume the Italian will be keen to ensure he is the man collecting that prize next year.
