Do the Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek doping cases show that tennis protects its superstars? Or do they show the opposite?

As Jannik Sinner took the court Saturday for his second-round match with Roman Safiullin at the China Open in Beijing, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed it has filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the Italian’s anti-doping case.

Sinner had twice tested positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March of this year, but was found to bear “no fault or negligence” by an independent tribunal after the International Tennis Integrity Unit (ITIA) had accepted the world No. 1’s explanation for how the banned substance entered his system.

WADA does not believe the determination of no fault or neglience on Sinner’s part to be correct in its call to have the case reviewed again.

The China Open is SInner's first event since he lifted his second major crown in New York.

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In a statement, WADA declares it, “is seeking a period of ineligibility of between one and two years. WADA is not seeking a disqualification of any results, save that which has already been imposed by the tribunal of first instance.”

The winner of both hard-court majors this year, Sinner’s positive tests occurred on March 10 and March 18.

Though he was provisionally suspended, he was able to continue competing after successfully appealing by providing the source: “a result of contamination from a support team member, who had been applying an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol to their own skin to treat a small wound,” according to the ITIA’s published findings. Former trainer Umberto Ferrara purchased the product in Italy and gave it to former physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi, who used it to treat a finger cut and then massaged Sinner without wearing gloves.

News of Sinner's positive tests, case handling and forfetiting of points and prize money earned at Indian Wells were not made public until August 20, a day after the San Candido native captured the Cincinnati Open crown. Both Ferrar and Naldi were let go by Sinner ahead of the US Open, where he defeated Taylor Fritz in the final. Following that victory, the 23-year-old hired two past members of Novak Djokovic’s team in Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio as replacements in the respective roles.

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