Jannik Sinner had a choice to make—take his chances at a tribunal or accept a three-month suspension. The Italian tennis sensation chose the latter, knowing that either way, his reputation was on the line. It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. This whole saga began in March when he tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance. Now, nearly a year later, the case has finally reached its conclusion. But in the court of public opinion? The debate is far from over. So what made the World No.1 take this deal instead of fighting it out?

Sinner’s lawyer, Jamie Singer, shed some light on the situation during an interview with Sky News. He revealed that it wasn’t easy convincing the Italian tennis player that the deal was the right move. “Jannik says he feels he was treated quite harshly, but he accepts that everyone has the right to their own opinion. Tennis players do not have the opportunity to know all the details of the story, so they simply express opinions. But perhaps the facts deserve to be explored more deeply.”

According to Singer, the decision boiled down to risk management. He further stated, “It took some time to convince Sinner that the case resolution was the right thing to do. Accepting Wada’s offer rather than going to the CAS (where he would have risked a one to two year disqualification, ed.)”

If World No.1 had pushed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he could have faced a much harsher penalty—a suspension lasting anywhere from one to two years. Instead, by accepting WADA’s deal, his ban will only last until May 4.

A tough pill to swallow, but a far better outcome than missing an entire season. Not everyone is satisfied with how this played out. Many players have openly questioned the fairness of the decision. Among them? Daniil Medvedev, Nick Kyrgios, and one of the biggest names in tennis—Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic calls out ‘favoritism’ in Jannik Sinner’s doping case

Novak Djokovic didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on the situation. Speaking to the media in Doha ahead of the Qatar Open, he addressed the controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner’s ban. He said, “I spoke with several players in the locker room, not only in the last few days but also in the previous months. Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone, and they don’t think it’s fair. Many of them believe there was favoritism.”

This statement comes shortly after Djokovic’s organization, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), released its own take on the matter. The tennis world isn’t entirely convinced by how this case was handled.

The 23-year-old tennis player will return to the tour just in time for his home event—the Italian Open, a Masters 1000 tournament. At the same time, he’ll lose 2,100 ranking points due to his suspension, as the Italian will miss out on events like the Sunshine Masters (Indian Wells and Miami Open) and Madrid Open. However, the World No.1 will still have a shot at making a strong comeback before the French Open.

For now, Jannik Sinner remains on the sidelines. But when he returns, the spotlight will be waiting. Was this deal the right call, or did it raise more questions than answers?