Daniil Medvedev has acknowledged that he is sympathetic to Jannik Sinner in the wake of the controversy surrounding the world No. 1’s failed drug test despite the Italian being cleared of all charges of any wrongdoing by an independent tribunal in August.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced that Sinner had tested positive for an anabolic steroid twice in March, but he was spared a suspension by an independent tribunal that found him not guilty.
Nonetheless, that ruling has been appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They contend that the decision to find no fault or negligence was incorrect in light of the relevant regulations, and WADA is requesting a two-year ban.
It was widely acknowledged that Sinner’s former physical therapist had massaged the tennis player after treating a cut on their own finger with a steroid spray.
While admitting that he hasn’t seen many players talk about it, Medvedev stated that he supports Sinner in a predicament that nobody likes to be in.
Medvedev talked about it recently and said: “Actually, to be honest, I didn’t discuss it much in the locker room, of course except with my Russian friends because we talk more. I would generally think that the view, like everything in life, is some think that he should be banned, whatever, and some think no, he should not be. My view is always on these things. of trying to distance myself when the situation is very tough for him, for sure, to deal with it. As I always said, no one wants to be in this situation because, I said it in the US Open press, for me imagine tomorrow you get an email, because I think it’s an email, and you failed your doping test. They say for whatever reason, like cocaine or some drug you don’t even know the name of.”
He added: “You’re like: ‘Wow, what I do now because I have no idea how it happened that it’s in my pee, blood, whatever’. So, yeah, it’s a tricky situation. I want to say he does what he needs to do. WADA does probably what it needs to do. Let’s see how it finishes. We thought maybe it was finished, but no. Yeah, I’m the same a little bit like Carlos. I’m sympathetic to Jannik. I don’t think it has a bad, really bad look in tennis because I think, yeah, if 10 top-10 players suddenly would be on the same substance or something, it would be different. I think it’s just an individual situation which we’ll see how it ends.”
Sinner in Beijing, ranking, and results in 2024
Now the world no.1, Jannik owns a compiled 58-5 win-loss record in 2024. Jannik is now playing in Beijing where he bested the world no.28 Nicolas Jarry 4-6 6-3 6-1, the world no.69 Roman Safiullin 3-6 6-2 6-3 and the world no.37 Jiri Lehecka 6-2 7-6(6).
Jannik Sinner will fight against the world no.96 Bu Yunchaokete in the semifinal on Tuesday at 7:00 pm on LOTUS. In the past, they have never played each other until now on the main tour.
Sinner clinched 6 titles in 2024 at the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, Cincinnati and U.S. Open.
Jannik 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 Paris (Rolex Paris Masters). The main draw will start on the 28th of October.
Medvedev in Beijing, ranking, and results in 2024
Currently ranked no.5, Medvedev owns a composed 42-16 match record in 2024. The Russian is currently having a run in Beijing where he beat the world no.46 Gael Monfils 6-3 6-4, the world no.44 Adrian Mannarino 7-6(6) 6-2 and the world no.32 Flavio Cobolli 6-2 6-4.
Daniil Medvedev will come up against the world no.220 Diego Schwartzman in the Round Robin on Sunday at 4:00 pm on CENTER COURT. Their current head to head is 6-0 for Medvedev.
Daniil was the finalist at the Australian Open and in Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open).
Medvedev won 20 titles in his career: 10 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 8 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev clashed against each other 13 times. Their current record is 7-6 for Medvedev. Before, the last time they fought against each other, Jannik Sinner won 6-2 1-6 6-1 6-4 in the quarter in New York (U.S. Open) on the 4th of September 2024.
In the following video you can watch the highlights.