Jannik Sinner‘s doping case has taken a new turn after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recently appealed the ITIA’s decision to clear him in August 2024. This has sparked discussions and support from fellow players like Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, as well as some tennis legends. They are questioning WADA’s appeal to the tribunal, which could potentially jeopardize Sinner’s future in the sport. Now, a WTA legend has come forward with her take on the matter.

On October 2nd, Andy Roddick was joined by Kim Clijsters on his ‘Served’ podcast to talk about the recent WADA appeal against the Jannik Sinner doping investigation from the ITIA. Roddick expressed skepticism about Sinner risking a “Hall-of-Fame worthy season” by using an illegal substance in such minuscule amounts that it wouldn’t yield any performance benefits. They questioned whether WADA had a legitimate point in pursuing this case or if they possessed concrete evidence to implement a potential ban on Sinner.

Clijsters asserted, “My feeling at the moment is that WADA also needs to prove a point to make sure that in the future this negligence kind of issue doesn’t get used to actually do some things wrong, right?” Given the speculation that Sinner received preferential treatment due to his status and the involvement of high-powered lawyers, the agency may be taking steps to prevent similar situations in future doping cases. As Kim added, “My opinion hasn’t changed since I spoke to him and his team at the US Open.”

In Sinner’s case, there is more at stake for WADA than just the Italian player himself. Clijsters further remarked, “I think it’s a little bit more the reputation maybe?” She suggested that the agency must ensure that “everything stays in check”. She believes that the WADA must take these actions to maintain its value and credibility in the sport, stating,

“They have to almost go with this further so that the whole negligence or that that doesn’t become an issue that gets used by other players to say, ‘oh, I didn’t know. My couch did this’ or ‘my trainer did something’(…) my feeling is that they kind of have to almost do it to stay valuable.” But imagine the turmoil of going through the procedure all over again. On top of that, he still bears the weight of this case.

Kim Clijsters urged authorities to take “human side” of things into consideration

Kim Clijsters emphasized the complexities of doping cases, stating, “There are so many factors to consider. We’ve had players test positive because they ate a steak in South America. Where did that come from? Each case is unique, and there needs to be an understanding of these situations.” She acknowledged that while some players may be at fault, “I’m sure there have been and there are probably players who were doing things wrong and they will get caught.”

Nonetheless, being a top player in her time, Kim understands the trouble that Sinner must be facing within himself off-court. Expressing deep concern for the star amid the ongoing doping investigation, she stated, “I do feel like the human side of it needs to be addressed. What does this do to Jannik’s mental state of mind? People just think you’re like a robot and that everything seems fine, but that’s not always the case.”

Sinner himself expressed disappointment over WADA’s decision to appeal the ITIA’s ruling. He stated, “I am disappointed to hear that WADA has chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent.”

He mentioned that he understands the need for thorough investigations to uphold the integrity of the sport. However, he questioned the benefit of having a different set of judges review the same facts. As he prepares for a new legal battle, Sinner stays focused on proving his innocence once again.