The tennis world is hot with controversies. It wasn’t long ago that two of the brightest stars in the sport, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, faced doping bans that sent shockwaves across the community, sparking considerable debate among fans, particularly regarding the perceived disparity in penalties. Comparisons were drawn to the lengthier bans imposed on other players, such as Nicolas Jarry (11 months) and Simona Halep (nine months), leading to questions about potential preferential treatment for top-ranked athletes. Amid all that, the ITIA has unveiled yet another controversial case. What’s that?

Last year, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek faced a one-month suspension after testing positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned heart medication. The ITIA determined the violation was unintentional, caused by contaminated melatonin she used for jet lag. Swiatek missed three tournaments during her provisional ban and forfeited $158,944 in prize money from the Cincinnati Open. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner, the current World No. 1 in men’s tennis, accepted a three-month suspension from WADA, starting February 9, 2025, after testing positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol in March 2024. This has kept him from defending his No.1 position at various tournaments, including the Miami Open, which is currently underway. Now, a new name has come to the fore, however, his case isn’t related to doping.

On March 28, the ITIA revealed that German player Mina Hodzic, ranked No. 408 in the WTA rankings, received a three-month suspension for violating the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). According to their statement, the breach involved her association with Jordi Marse-Vidri, a former player banned for corruption. Despite warnings, Hodzic practiced with Marse-Vidri at a covered event in Barcelona in October 2024.

Her suspension runs from March 6 to June 5, barring her from playing, coaching, or attending any tennis events. She also received a suspended $1,000 fine, which she did not appeal. This suspension is a setback for her budding career. Recently active on the ITF Circuit, she reached the finals of an ITF W15 event in February before facing early exits in other tournaments. While she hasn’t made major waves yet, this pause complicates her journey back to competitive tennis.

Meanwhile, debates rage over Sinner and Swiatek’s cases. Players like Nick Kyrgios slammed Sinner’s three-month suspension as “ridiculous,” questioning why he wasn’t banned for two years after failing two doping tests at different times. Even the PTPA, led by Novak Djokovic, included Sinner’s case in their recent lawsuit against the tennis governing bodies.

The PTPA calls out Jannik Sinner’s case for unfair treatment of low-ranked players

On March 18, Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) shook the tennis world on March 18 with a bold lawsuit targeting the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA. The suit accuses these governing bodies of “draconian” and “abusive” practices that exploit players, suppress earnings, and neglect their welfare. Highlighting Jannik Sinner’s controversial three-month doping suspension and Marco Trungelliti’s mental health struggles after exposing match-fixing, the PTPA slammed the inconsistent treatment of players.

The PTPA claims players receive just 17% of tennis revenues—far below the 35–50% typical in other major sports. Co-founder Vasek Pospisil painted a stark picture: “Imagine an NFL player being told to sleep in his car at an away game. It’s absurd.” The organization argues that players are overworked by an unsustainable schedule while facing chronic injuries and privacy violations from random drug tests. Ahmad Nassar, the PTPA’s executive director, declared, “Tennis is broken,” accusing governing bodies of exploiting players behind a “glamorous veneer.” With over a dozen players joining the legal battle, the PTPA aims to bring fairness and dignity back to tennis.

The lawsuit has sparked heated debate. While the ATP and WTA dismissed the claims as baseless, Sinner’s suspension has reignited concerns about favoritism in doping cases. Now, Mina Hodzic’s identical three-month ban adds fuel to this fire, leaving many wondering if reforms are finally underway or if this “partial treatment” persists. What are your thoughts on this?