Jannik Sinner has been navigating one of the most turbulent phases of his career. He is currently focused on making a serious run at the US Open. But, a cloud of controversy looms over him. The doping scandal that shook the tennis world still refuses to fade away. While Sinner has been cleared for now, the reality is that the door for punishment remains slightly ajar. Could he still face suspension? The uncomfortable answer is yes, although the chances are slim.

For the unversed, Sinner tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol during the Indian Wells. It is a banned anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological treatment and is the same drug for which Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended by MLB. But ITIA took a different stance in Sinner’s case. In its ruling, the ITIA concluded that the steroids were “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.”

It was found that Sinner’s physio Giacomo Naldi had used an over-the-counter spray containing Clostebol to treat a cut on his own finger. Then, he treated Sinner without gloves, which eventually resulted in the passing of the substance to his body. But despite the ruling of the ITIA that came just days ahead of the US Open, the Italian tennis dynamo has been receiving widespread flak from several members of the tennis community.

In such testing times, there is another factor that can increase the troubles of the 23-year-old. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Italian Anti-Doping Organization have a deadline of midnight of 6th September 2024 to file an appeal against the ruling. While it is highly unlikely that an appeal would be filed, it can lead to a challenging time for the Italian sensation if it is filed.

If WADA or NADO appeals in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the case would be reopened for Sinner and might lead to his suspension as well. Earlier, WADA had announced that it would critically examine the case, and take a call on whether to make an appeal or not.

If an appeal is not made, the case will be closed once and for all, thereby ending the troubles for the World No. 1. But amidst the woes, Sinner has found some support too, not just from his fans, but also from the Swiss maestro Roger Federer.

“Jannik didn’t do anything’ – Roger Federer goes soft on Sinner despite skepticism

Roger Federer is one of those tennis players whose support means the world to many. The situation is possibly similar for Jannik Sinner amid the controversy that he finds himself in. Despite highlighting the fact that the case brought unwanted attention to the tennis community, Federer seemed to have a soft stance on Sinner. 

Speaking in an interview with Today, the tennis great said, “I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything.” Federer, however, added, “But the inconsistency potentially that he didn’t have to sit out while they weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered. But look, it is what it is, and we need to trust the process as well of anyone involved here.”

As the tournament progresses, Sinner will hope that WADA doesn’t appeal against the ruling and he continues playing. Shortly, he will enter the US Open semi-final against Jack Draper as firm favorite. Do you think Sinner can make it to the title match?