Jannik Sinner has long since returned to the tennis circuit - but the scandal surrounding his positive doping test is leaving Nick Kyrgios in no peace. The feisty Australian continues to take shots at the South Tyrolean in a podcast.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for a banned steroid in 2024, but was only given a three-month ban as no intent could be proven.
- Nick Kyrgios strongly criticized this lenient punishment and accused the ATP in a podcast of deliberately protecting Sinner as a figurehead of tennis.
- The Australian also hinted at possible nepotism - many ATP officials are Italian. For him, the case remains suspicious.
There was huge excitement last year when it became public that Jannik Sinner had tested positive twice for a banned steroid in March 2024. As Sinner was able to prove that he was not at fault and that there was no intent, he was given a lenient punishment by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The South Tyrolean accepts a three-month ban due to his negligence - a ban of up to one and a half or two years had previously been on the cards. This meant that the then world number 1 missed the ATP tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid, but Sinner was eligible to play again at the French Open.
The fact that Sinner was not banned despite the positive doping result was not well received everywhere. Australian tennis bully Nick Kyrgios, in particular, fired back via X (formerly Twitter): "Ridiculous - whether it was accidental or planned." He added: "He's tested twice for a banned substance. He should be banned for two years." Kyrgios said it was a "sad day for tennis".
When Sinner brought his fitness coach Umberto Ferrara - who is said to have bought the banned substance Trofodermin - back into his team, Kyrgios said: "He got the same doctor back. We were tricked, ladies and gentlemen."
Is Sinner protected by the ATP?
In the "Unscripted" podcast with Australian rugby player Josh Mansour, Kyrgios followed up. He admitted that the atmosphere between him and Sinner has been icy since the doping affair.
When asked how Sinner got away without a major sanction, Kyrgios said: "He was number one in the world. He's undoubtedly an incredible player who will shape this sport for the next 10 to 15 years - together with Alcaraz. They are obviously trying to protect him to a certain extent."
So when asked if there is preferential treatment in the tennis world, Kyrgios says cryptically: "The CEO and all the important people in the ATP are Italian ...". The 30-year-old emphasizes: "The whole story stinks to high heaven for me."
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist explained in the podcast why the doping case is bothering him so much. He himself could never imagine taking illicit substances. "I want to earn every success myself," says Kyrgios.
