The tennis world was left in complete shock when Jannik Sinner, one of the best players in the world at the moment, was accused of doping. The news came despite Sinner’s reputation for honesty and hard work and left the fans and experts divided. While some, like Nick Kyrgios, have been openly siding with the accusation, there have been some who have expressed their support for Sinner. Joining them recently was the world number 1’s fellow countryman, who made his thoughts clear on the doping saga.

Filippo Volandri, a renowned former player, has come forward to express his support for Jannik Sinner, who faces a doping case despite being cleared of fault by an independent tribunal in August. Sinner, who won the US Open earlier this year, tested positive for an anabolic steroid in March. However, the tribunal accepted his explanation that the banned substance entered his system through a massage from his physiotherapist. The physio used a steroid spray to treat a cut on their finger.

Volandri, a respected figure in Italian tennis, defended Sinner’s integrity, calling the potential for disqualification a severe injustice. “I don’t even want to think about a possible disqualification of Sinner, given his honesty and the irrefutable evidence he has provided. But if there is a person with broad shoulders, it is Jannik. A disqualification would be the greatest injustice in history,” Volandri said. Jannik Sinner even had to pay $325,000 of his prize money and lose 400 ranking points he earned as fine.

Despite the tribunal’s decision, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). WADA stated that the finding of “no fault or negligence” was incorrect under the rules. The agency sought a ban of up to two years but clarified that it was not seeking to disqualify Sinner’s results beyond the already imposed penalties. And, despite the tough times, Jannik Sinner is maintaining a positive outlook as he makes a heartfelt revelation about his true friends.

Jannik Sinner reveals how doping made him realize who his true friends are

Jannik Sinner shared how his recent doping case taught him important lessons about friendship. The two-time Grand Slam champion was cleared by an independent tribunal in August, but the experience has been tough for him. “I believe nothing happens by chance,” Sinner said. “Maybe this happened to help me understand who my real friends are and who are not. I now see the difference clearly.”

He explained that the situation surprised him in many ways. “I realized there are players I didn’t think were my friends, but they actually are. At the same time, there are others I thought were friends, but they are not,” he added. Although it was a hard experience, Sinner feels it taught him valuable lessons. “I can’t say it was good for me, but it did help me understand a lot of things,” he said.

Sinner also talked about how difficult it was to handle the news, especially since it came just before the US Open. “The hardest moment was when the news came out. It happened at a very sensitive time, right before a Grand Slam,” he said.

At least something good came out it as Jannik Sinner got to know who is really by his side. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think he is clean? Do let us know in the comments below!