“I’m just a simple tennis player”: At US Open, Jannik Sinner insists fair treatment in anti-doping saga

NEW YORK—At the 2024 US Open Media Day, Jannik Sinner met the press for the first time since news broke that he failed—but was ultimately exonerated from—two anti-doping tests back in March.

“Every player who gets tested positive has to go through the same process,” the world No. 1 said of the saga on Friday. “There is no shortcut, there is no different treatment.”

Less than 24 hours after winning his second Masters 1000 title of 2024 at the Cincinnati Open, Sinner revealed that he had twice tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol. Sinner and his legal team successfully argued that there had been contamination from an anti-septic spray, used by his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi to treat a cut on his finger. On Tuesday, he was officially ruled to bear No Fault or Negligence for the positive tests.

The top seed confirmed that Naldi and physical trainer Umberto Ferrara, who had reportedly supplied Naldi with the spray, had both been let go from his team ahead of the US Open.

For me, I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven't done anything wrong. I knew that I was very clean, and I knew that I was always very looking forward to be a fair player. Jannik Sinner

“Because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them,” Sinner said. “The only thing I just need right now, just some clean air. You know, I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.”

Sinner played through the last five months uncertain of his fate, which would be decided by the International Tennis Integrity Association (ITIA).

“I was always concerned that it might come out at some point,” he said, adding later, “For me, I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven't done anything wrong. I knew that I was very clean, and I knew that I was always very looking forward to be a fair player.”

He was able to continue playing thanks to a pair of successful appeals to the provisional suspensions that automatically accompanied the positive tests.

“Knowing because of that was the spray and knowing also how it all ended up into my system, we went straight back to them, and we explained everything how it happened, and that was the reason why I had the chance to keep playing,” explained Sinner, who has drawn ire from players like Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov for a perceived double standard.

“Here I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend,” he added later, “because my friends, they know that I would never do that, and sticking together.”

The 23-year-old Italian expressed relief that the news was finally out and that he could move on to the final Grand Slam of the season.

“It was a long process,” Sinner recalled. “I was always concerned that it might come out at some point. In the beginning was a different view, but then after, you know, it was a little bit more complicated. I went through, like, me and my team and the lawyers, I'm just a simple tennis player, no? That's what I love to do.”

Sinner will play his first round on Arthur Ashe Stadium Tuesday afternoon against American Mackenzie McDonald.