Jannik Sinner kicked off his 2025 season with a bang by winning the Australian Open for the second time in a row. However, his doping saga, which began nearly a year ago in March, has left him in a messy situation. WADA’s revelation that Sinner accepted a three-month ban ahead of the French Open sparked intense debate. Players like Stan Wawrinka expressed skepticism, saying he doesn’t “believe in a clear sport anymore,” while others felt Sinner deserved a longer ban. Even WADA officials calling it “a case that was a million miles away from doping” couldn’t silence critics. Looks like Jannik won’t be catching a break anytime soon, but Toni Nadal believes he should.

Speaking to the Spanish publication Marca, Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni, a reputed figure in tennis who was the first coach to the 14-time French Open champion and is well respected in the tennis community, spoke about Sinner’s case and the 3-month ban that the Italian is now facing for testing positive twice for the banned anabolic substance back in March 2024. He stated boldly, “I’ve already said it many times and explained it, I’m against the sanction. I know Sinner personally and he had no intention of committing a crime and you can’t treat a person like that for a mistake that happened by chance.”

Toni believes there’s more than what meets the eye, stating: “It can’t be that you have that desire to supervise and sanction. You have to sanction someone who intentionally does things wrong and is looking for their own benefit. And I know that’s not the case with Sinner.” It is well documented that the amount of substance found in Sinner’s system was minuscule. Initially, the ITIA ruled that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” due to the accidental nature of the contamination. Sinner’s former physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used ‘Trofodermin’ spray to treat a cut on his hand. He then gave Sinner a massage without gloves, accidentally transferring the substance to him.

The ITIA investigation later revealed that Sinner had an incredibly small amount of the substance in his system—so tiny that the Italian humorously used eight fingers to count the zeroes before the “1” in the amount, .000000001 before the US Open last year. Previously, Andy Roddick jokingly called Sinner the “best player on Earth and worst doper” if he had intentionally used such a small amount.

Toni Nadal further noted, “It’s true that they say that others who aren’t number 1 were sanctioned because they did wrong before. I’m surprised that different players have positioned themselves against it, even some at the highest level and some who are not very clean themselves.” Sinner’s case has drawn comparisons to stricter penalties faced by others, like Simona Halep, who initially received a nearly four-year ban before it was reduced to nine months.

Despite the criticism, Sinner has supporters, including Rafael Nadal. The controversy, however, continues to simmer, with no clear end in sight for Sinner.

Rafael Nadal shares his thoughts on Jannik’s doping controversy

In September 2024, Rafael Nadal stepped forward to support Jannik Sinner, emphasizing his trust in the ITIA’s decision. In an interview with El Hormiguero, the Spanish maestro said, “I trust that if he has not been sanctioned it is because those who have had to judge this case have clearly seen that what happened was not punishable.” This backing came after the ITIA investigated Sinner’s case and held a hearing in August 2024, where they accepted Sinner’s explanation for how the substance entered his system.

Despite being initially cleared, Sinner later agreed to a three-month ban from February 9 to May 4, 2025, following a settlement with WADA. This development has left many wondering about its implications for his career. The ban will end just before the Italian Open, which kicks off on May 7th. It will be fascinating to see how Sinner performs at his home event and how the fans receive him. The controversy surrounding this doping case has been intense, with some players questioning the fairness of the system. However, supporters like Nadal and others believe in Sinner’s innocence, given the accidental nature of the contamination.

As Sinner prepares to return to the court, the anticipation is palpable. The doping saga has been a rollercoaster ride for Sinner, but he has maintained his innocence throughout. The question now is: Will he come back stronger than ever, or will the controversy still linger? What do you think?