Doping saga reveals fake friendships to Sinner: “I thought these are friends, instead they are not”

It’s hard for anyone to look at the positives during tough times of similar degree Jannik Sinner has been enduring since he failed two dope tests in March 2024 at Indian Wells. However, Sinner sees a silver lining to the controversy as it has helped him identify fake friendships on the ATP Tour.

During the Indian Wells Open, the world No 1 tested positive for Clostebol after being exposed to the banned steroid by his former trainer Umberto Ferrara and physio Giacomo Naldi. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) disclosed the news in August right before the US Open, clearing him of any wrongdoing altogether.

Discussing about the same in a recent interview, Sinner reflected on the tricky few weeks ahead of the New York Major.

“It was difficult at first of all because I couldn’t open up to so many people,” he told Sky Italy. “It was a very delicate period, very difficult at the beginning because I didn’t know how to behave and what would come up, I didn’t know what would happen even a little bit with my team. The most difficult moment was when the news came out. And it came out at a very delicate time for me, before a Grand Slam.

“I wanted to train already on Wednesday, but the news arrived on Tuesday. Then it was better not to go training because there would be too much chaos at the club. So then we go on Thursday, we go in the evening because there are so many people who have already left. We got there, we had all the cameras after us, it was very tough.”

The 23-year-old eventually managed to put the chaos behind him and prevailed in the men’s singles competition to lift his second Grand Slam trophy.

However, the popular saying about people revealing their true colours in tough moments held true in Sinner’s doping saga as he realised who among his colleagues were truly his friends.

“I looked at the other players a bit to understand what they really thought and I asked myself many, many questions,” the Italian added. “It was difficult to prepare for a Grand Slam like this. Except that I am convinced that nothing happens by chance and perhaps this case was just to understand who is your friend and who isn’t. I separated these two matters.

I realised that there are many players who I didn’t think were friends and a fairly large amount that I thought these are friends and instead they are not.

Jannik Sinner

“For this reason, in the end I don’t say that it did me good, but it made me understand many things. In the end my job was to separate the problem and my work. I have always tried to feel good on the court, I have always trained and I am always mentally prepared to try to play good tennis. In the end, that’s why I succeeded.”

Sinner’s trouble has yet to end in the doping controversy as World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has moved the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the matter.

WADA has sought an ineligibility period of one to two years for the Italian, challenging the ITIA’s decision. CAS has began legal proceedings in the case without deciding on a deadline for the ultimate decision.

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