John McEnroe makes reputation claim over Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests

Kevin Palmer 05 Sep 2024 10:59 PM

John McEnroe gives his veridct on Jannik Sinner's failed drug tests

John McEnroe has given his verdict on the fall-out from Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests, as he admitted the Italian may struggle to recover his reputation in the eyes of his doubters.

Italy’s Sinner tested positive for a banned substance twice in March but was absolved of fault or negligence by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

The ITIA accepted Sinner’s explanation that clostebol, an anabolic agent that can aid muscle growth, had accidentally entered his system via a product one of his team had used to treat a small wound.

The decision has been met with criticism in the tennis world, with some players surprised at the speed at which the case was heard, but Sinner says the quick timeframe was because he could explain the origin of the substance found in his body.

Now McEnroe has reflected on how the news has been digested by tennis fans and players over the two weeks of the US Open, as he suggested some will always have doubts over the verdict and the way the case was handled.

Speaking at a Eurosport event, McEnroe responded to a question from Tennis365 on the hottest topic in tennis, as we asked him if some will always have doubts about Sinner after his failed drug tests.

“People think that with people in all sports… you never know,” said McEnroe.

“He’s handled it very well, that’s for sure. I thought it would affect him more, honestly, on the court. In the first round, I think it did because he was a set and a break down.

“He seems to have been able to move past it and it seems people are willing to.

“I don’t know enough about the circumstances, but when you hear it’s one billionth of one particle, you start to feel like that certainly sounds like it couldn’t do much.

“Look, I’m a tennis fan and I want to go with believing what ended up happening. I don’t have any other information and I don’t know what he took.

“I’d like to move on and there will always be something (people asking questions) because it is hard not to think about that at some level. I’m hoping that the conclusion they came up with was true.”

Jannik Sinner News

Roger Federer weighs in on Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests as he raises ‘inconsistency’ question

Novak Djokovic made one big mistake with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner – and paid a heavy price

McEnroe also offered his views on Sinner’s US Open semi-final against Britain’s Jack Draper, as he suggested the Italian is now the firm favourite to win his first title in New York.

“Obviously Draper is the big underdog. It’s a big step up for him,” added McEnroe.

“Alex De Minaur was just happy to be there (in the quarter-finals) as he got hurt at Wimbledon and had not played.

“It certainly helps that he has played a match on Ashe as I remember the first time I got to the Wimbledon semi-finals and my legs were shaking. I was playing Jimmy Connors, who was one of the top guys.

“There will be more expectations for Jack now that he has reached the semis, but you are also way more excited. When he got to New York, he wasn’t thinking about being in the semis.