In a surprising turn of events, world No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner has found himself at the center of a doping controversy. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has decided to appeal the decision made by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which had cleared Sinner of any wrongdoing after he tested positive for a banned substance earlier this year.

Sinner, who recently clinched his second Grand Slam title at the US Open, tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic agent, in March 2024. The ITIA’s independent tribunal concluded that Sinner bore no fault or negligence, accepting his explanation that the substance entered his system unintentionally through a massage spray used by his physiotherapist. Despite this ruling, WADA has now taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a ban of one to two years for the Italian star.

In his official statement, Sinner expressed his disappointment and surprise at WADA’s decision to appeal. “I am very disappointed and also surprised by this appeal,” Sinner said. “We had three hearings, and all three came out very positively for me. I was not expecting this, especially after such thorough proceedings.”

Sinner emphasized his commitment to clean sport and reiterated that he had always adhered to the highest standards of integrity. “I have always played by the rules and have never intentionally taken any banned substances. This situation has been incredibly challenging, but I remain confident in my innocence and will continue to fight to clear my name.”

The tennis community has shown strong support for Sinner, with many players and fans rallying behind him. As the case moves to CAS, the outcome remains uncertain, but Sinner’s determination to prove his innocence is unwavering.

This development adds a layer of complexity to Sinner’s career, especially as he prepares for upcoming tournaments. The tennis world will be closely watching how this case unfolds, and whether Sinner can maintain his top ranking amidst these challenges.

This was the full statement.

“I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed meto be innocent.

Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence.

Several months of interviews and investigations culminated in three senior judges scrutinising every detail through a formal hearing.

They issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout.

On the back of such a robust process both the ITIA and the Italian anti-doping authority accepted it and waived their rights to appeal.

I understand these things need to be thoroughly investigated to maintain the integrity of the sport we all love. However, it is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again.

This being said, I have nothing to hide, and as I have done throughout the summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again.

As the case is now pending before CAS, I won’t comment further.”

Sinner in Beijing, ranking, and results in 2024

Currently ranked no.1, Sinner owns a 57-5 match record in 2024. The Italian is participating in Beijing where he defeated the world no.28 Nicolas Jarry 4-6 6-3 6-1 and the world no.69 Roman Safiullin 3-6 6-2 6-3.

Jannik Sinner will compete against the world no.37 Jiri Lehecka in the quarter. Their current record is 2-2.

Sinner conquered 6 titles in 2024 at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, Cincinnati and U.S. Open.

Sinner won 17 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 7 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)

He is also scheduled to play in Shanghai (Shanghai Rolex Masters) on the 2nd of October and Paris (Rolex Paris Masters) on the 28th of October.