"It's hard to live like this" Emotional Sinner thought about quitting before his doping ban
Jannik Sinner is the number 1 tennis player in the world. However, the doping case affected the Italian. In an interview, he gives an insight into his emotional world - and surprises us with a statement.
30.04.2025, 15:20
dpa
Tennis star Jannik Sinner has thought about quitting because of the uproar surrounding his doping ban. The Italian admitted this in an interview on the Rai channel. When asked whether there was ever a moment when he wanted to give up everything, the 23-year-old replied after a brief hesitation: "Yes. I remember that I didn't have a very happy phase before the Australian Open this year." At the beginning of January, it was still unclear whether Sinner might be banned for a long time due to his doping findings from spring 2024.
Around the turn of the year, he was wondering what 2025 would be like. "Then I arrived in Australia and didn't feel comfortable, for example in the changing room or while eating. The players looked at me differently. That wasn't nice. It's hard to live like that in tennis. I was always the type to make jokes, go into the changing room and talk to this player and that player. But now it was different, it didn't feel good."
Comeback in Rome after a three-month doping ban
The world number one had considered taking some time out after the first Grand Slam tournament - which he won in the final against the German Alexander Zverev. This was then enforced because Sinner agreed a three-month ban with the World Anti-Doping Agency Wada.
Traces of the doping agent Clostebol were discovered in the South Tyrolean in March 2024. He stated that the substance had unknowingly entered his body via the hands of a masseur. Itia, the agency responsible for doping proceedings, believed the tennis pro and waived his ban. Wada later took legal action against this and appealed to the Cas Court of Arbitration for Sport. The hearing was then canceled following the out-of-court settlement. Sinner can play again at the Masters tournament in Rome next week.
Sinner insists: no preferential treatment
The three-time Grand Slam tournament winner and 2024 ATP Finals champion emphasized in the interview that he had not received a celebrity bonus. "There were no different procedures. Even if there was criticism in my case that I was treated differently. But I had many hearings. And perhaps they checked me even more afterwards," said Sinner.
He first had to be convinced of the deal with Wada. "I had a hard time accepting those three months. In my head, I thought: I haven't done anything wrong." But his lawyer convinced him that there were even worse alternatives in the event of a trial. He had to accept that there was also criticism from illustrious athletes. "But I wouldn't wish anyone to go through something like this as an innocent man."
