Difference in opinions! Ever since the news of Jannik Sinner’s doping case broke out, the tennis world has been divided into two camps. On one side, players like Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, Simona Halep, and a few others criticized the decision by ITIA. On the other hand, some feel Sinner might just be a victim of an unfortunate scenario. Recently, Norwegian tennis star Casper Ruud voiced a careful opinion on Jannik Sinner’s doping saga, taking the opposite stance of Nick Kyrgios.

Previously Kyrgios called the whole incident, “Ridiculous—whether it was accidental or planned.” The Aussie tennis star, further added, “You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah, nice.” He was clearly not pleased with the verdict! However, Casper Ruud noted that after reviewing the sequence of events, he thought, “There were a few owls in the bog.” Ruud revealed that initially, he felt that since Sinner is world number one, there could’ve been some bias. However, after familiarizing himself with the case and the rules, he came to a different conclusion.

“If you have read the documents and understand the process in this type of case, then you understand that there is no discrimination here,” added the 25-year-old Norwegian. He thinks, “What Sinner has done well, to defend himself, is that he managed to find an explanation within 15 days after testing positive. He understood quite quickly where it came from.” According to Ruud, not many athletes manage to come up with an explanation within 15 days, so he believes this reasonable explanation might have worked in the world number one’s favor.

Ruud also shared his thoughts on how easily athletes can face involuntary doping issues. “As an athlete, you are extremely vulnerable,” said Ruud. He revealed that this is why he is forced to live under strict supervision regarding where he goes, what he eats, and all of that. Several American tennis stars have also shown support for Jannik Sinner in this doping case.

For example, Taylor Fritz emphasized his belief in Sinner’s integrity. He said he believes the investigation process was done properly, adding, “I trust that he (Sinner) wasn’t, you know, at fault or purposely doing anything.” Even American tennis legend Andre Agassi echoed the same, “I don’t think he cheats.” Now that we can see a clear difference of opinion regarding Sinner’s doping saga, let’s find out what the ‘Big 3’ think of this.

“I don’t think he wanted to do drugs” – Rafael Nadal defends Jannik Sinner in the doping saga

During an interview on the Spanish TV program ‘El Horminguero’, the Spaniard said, “I have an advantage or a flaw, which is to believe in the good faith of people. I know Sinner and I don’t think he wanted to do drugs.” Nadal strongly opined that justice is justice, and people shouldn’t only support it when it’s resolved the way they want. He believes those who are decision-makers in these cases always base their decisions on what they believe is correct. According to Nadal, if Jannik Sinner was not punished, it’s because the judge in this case saw that the evidence wasn’t enough to be punishable.

On the other hand, Roger Federer said, “I understand the frustration of, ‘Has he been treated the same as others?’ And I think this is where it comes down to. I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, 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.” However, he also admitted that now it’s what it is, and people just need to trust the process and everyone involved in this case.

Novak Djokovic also raised a few questions as well. He understood why some players were frustrated with the “lack of consistency.” The Serb added, “We see a lack of standardized and clear protocols…It is very difficult to speak about it. He tested positive but there have been some reasons that we don’t know that allowed him to play.“

Some are still raising their eyebrows at the verdict, while others want to move on and celebrate the Italian’s recent US Open triumph. Which side are you on in this issue?