World No.1 tennis star Jannik Sinner says he considered retirement amid controversial doping saga

7NEWS

01-05-2025

Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner admits he considered quitting the sport because of the turmoil surrounding his doping suspension.
Asked in an interview on Italian broadcaster Rai TV if there was ever a moment he wanted to give it all up, the 23-year-old world No.1 hesitated briefly before responding: 'Yes. I remember that I wasn't in a very happy place before the Australian Open this year'.
At the start of January in Melbourne — a grand slam he won — it was still unclear if Sinner would face a lengthy suspension because of his doping case from 2024, when he blamed a masseur for giving him a banned cream.
In the end, a deal was made in February whereby he would receive a short three-month ban and return for the Italian Open, which starts next week.
Sinner said he was anxious at the turn of the year about what 2025 might bring.
'I arrived in Australia and didn't feel comfortable, whether in the locker room or while eating. The players were looking at me differently. That wasn't nice,' he said.
'It's hard to live like that in tennis. I've always been someone who jokes around, goes into the locker room, and talks to this or that player. But now it was different, and it didn't feel good.'
The handling of Sinner's case had raised concerns about double standards. The positive tests weren't publicly revealed until August because Sinner successfully appealed against being provisionally banned from playing. He then won the US Open in September.
It also raised questions, since it conveniently allows Sinner to return next week at the Italian Open — his home tournament — and not miss any grand slams.
Several top players, including Australian Nick Kyrgios, and American champion Serena Williams, have suggested Sinner was treated too lightly.
However, the three-time grand slam champion does not believe he received any special treatment.
'There were no different procedures, even though there was criticism in my case that I was treated differently. But I had many hearings. And maybe they even tested me more afterwards,' Sinner said.
'I struggled to accept those three months. In my mind, I thought I didn't do anything wrong. I wouldn't wish anyone to go through something like this as an innocent person.'
Sinner's comments come in the same week that dual grand slam doubles champion Max Purcell accepted an 18-month ban for breaching anti-doping rules.
In December, the 27-year-old Australian entered a voluntary provisional suspension after admitting to breaching Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) 'relating to the use of a prohibited method'.
Purcell received IV infusions of more than 500ml twice in December 2023 after falling ill in Bali, with the limit under the World Anti-Doping Code and TADP 100ml in a 12-hour period.
After an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, Purcell's penalty was reduced by 25 per cent because of his 'full co-operation and information sharing'.
With time served under the voluntary provisional suspension, Purcell's suspension ends on June 11, 2026.