“I didn’t do anything wrong” is what Jannik Sinner stated during his pre-tournament press conference at the US Open. Although the young Italian is trying his best to get past the most stressful phase of his professional tennis career, the comments from co-players continue to drag him down. However, after a series of discussions, Novak Djokovic finally came up with a neutral response, explaining how loopholes in the system stand to be the reason behind this chaos.

Novak Djokovic recently spoke out on the controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner’s doping case. The Serb highlighted the need for systemic reform in how such cases are handled within the sport. A key figure in the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), Djokovic highlighted that the organization was created to address precisely these kinds of issues. “Instances like this are the very reason we founded PTPA. The ethos of PTPA is the player, is representing 100% the players’ rights,” the Serb said, revising the agenda of a comparatively newer body.

Djokovic criticized the current system for its lack of standardized and clear protocols, which, according to him, leads to frustration and confusion among players. “There is a lot of issues in the system. We see lack of standardized and clear protocols. I can understand the sentiments of a lot of players that are questioning whether they are treated the same,” Djokovic said. He emphasized that the PTPA is dedicated to advocating for fair treatment and ensuring that all players, from top-ranked stars to those lower in the rankings, have the same opportunities to defend themselves in cases like Sinner’s.

This came after Jannik Sinner’s doping controversy sparked significant debate among players. Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov voiced their concerns about potential bias in the system. Kyrgios expressed his frustration on social media, calling the situation “ridiculous” and arguing that different rules seem to apply to different players. Shapovalov echoed these sentiments by suggesting that the outcome of Sinner’s case is a big question on the fairness of the rules.

Djokovic acknowledged these concerns and urged the governing bodies of tennis to draw learnings from this case and implement changes to prevent similar situations in the future. He stressed that collective action is needed to ensure that all players are treated without the consideration of their status or financial ability to hire legal representation. “Hopefully the governing bodies of our sport will be able to learn from this case and have a better approach for the future. I think collectively there has to be a change, and I think that’s obvious,” Djokovic stated.

Although the on-court rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner never loses its intensity, the response submitted by the 37-year-old solidified his position as a true veteran of the sport.

Stressful situations provoke Jannik Sinner to make a shocking decision

Amid the chaotic situation, fans were worried about Jannik Sinner’s mental state. The Italian made a shocking decision to part ways with his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara after the recent doping controversy. Sinner, who tested positive twice for the banned substance clostebol, explained that the substance entered his system through accidental contamination. Naldi had used an over-the-counter spray which was provided to him by Ferrara, on a cut on his own hand before treating Sinner.

Although the tribunal handed Sinner a clean chit from the case, he felt it was time to make changes in his team. Sinner expressed his gratitude for their contributions, saying, “They have been a huge part of my career. We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me.”

Although they have been great assets for Sinner, the Italian admitted that the incident made him lose confidence in continuing with them. “Now, because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them,” Sinner said. “I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.” As the young Italian is now focused on his upcoming showdown against Mackenzie McDonald, it still remains to be seen if he will be able to compete with a clear head.