Entangled in a doping scandal he wouldn’t have seen coming, Jannik Sinner‘s meteoric rise saw an unexpected diversion last year. A routine test at the Indian Wells in March landed him in trouble, as he tested positive for Clostebol. While he was let off initially, as ITIA’s independent inquiry concluded he bore no significant ‘fault or negligence,’  WADA wasn’t convinced. Reopening the case months later, they appealed to CAS for stricter punishment. However, just as a lengthy ban seemed on the horizon for Sinner, the anti-doping agency ended up settling the case abruptly. The decision has hardly pleased anyone around the tour and among the disgruntled ones is Jessica Pegula, who hasn’t shied away from criticizing the process.

Jessica Pegula started her 2025 season in quite an impressive fashion, reaching the finals of the Adelaide International. However, she exited the Australian Open in the third round, losing to Olga Danilovic. She had modest returns in the Qatar Open as well, where she lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova in quarterfinals. Amidst the setbacks, she is looking to regain her form in the Dubai Duty Free Championships. Before starting her campaign against Luidmila Samsonova on Tuesday, the 30-year-old American addressed the press.

“The process is completely broken,” Pegula began. “My reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don’t, or whatever side you’re on, the process just seems to be completely like not a process,” she further said. Pegula, a member of the WTA Players’ Council hinted at WADA’s initial proposal, which was for a 1 or 2 years of suspension for Sinner. However, in a strange twist, the Italian settled his case with a 3-month suspension, from February 9 to May 4- allowing him to compete at the French Open.

“It seems to just kind of be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just kind of make up their own ruling. I don’t really understand how that’s fair for athletes, how it’s fair for players when there’s just so much inconsistency and you have no idea,” Pegula added. Her words carried aa tinge of frustration. Sinner’s doping ordeal started in March with two failed dope tests. He received an initial 8-day provisional suspension and his 2024 Indian Wells prize money was stripped. However, he appealed against it and an independent inquiry was set up to look into the matter further.

However, the ITIA’s verdict didn’t sit well with WADA, who challenged the decision at Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for stricter punishment in September. Although the verdict was about to come in April, WADA settled its case with Sinner outside the court accepting the fact that he had direct involvement in the case. The process might have helped Jannik Sinner avoid a big career threat, but it showed the system’s haphazardness.

Pegula’s sentiment was echoed by the Swiss pro Stan Wawrinka who took a brutal dig at WADA’s decision, as he wrote on X, “I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore.” After Wawrinka expressing his disappointment, Novak Djokovic’s PTPA issued a statement as well, targeting the system for its favoritism. “It’s not just the different results for different players. It’s the lack of transparency. The lack of process. The lack of consistency. The lack of credibility in the alphabet soup of agencies charged with regulating our sports and athletes,” they said.

Sinner’s case seems settled, but it has left the players concerned. One among them is Aryna Sabalenka.

Aryna Sabalenka feels “too scared” after Jannik Sinner’s doping saga

The WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka refused to comment on Sinner’s 3-month suspension but revealed that she is now very cautious she doesn’t fall foul to a similar situation as Sinner. “You just start to be more careful. For example, before I wouldn’t care about leaving my glass of water and go to the bathroom in a restaurant. Now, I’m not going to drink from the same glass of water,” she said.

Continuing further, she added, “You just become a bit more aware of stuff and this thing gets to your head that, like, if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they’re going to go for you and they’re not going to believe you or anything.”

For the unversed, Clostebol entered Sinner’s system when his former physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi gave him a massage without gloves after using a spray containing Clostebol to treat his own wound. Clostebol is a common substance in over-the-counter medicines in Italy. However, that negligence landed Sinner in great trouble with a whirlpool of controversy. Now that he has received a ban that will sideline  him from four ATP Masters 1000 – India Wells, Miami, Madrid, and Monte Carlo –  the players are not convinced about the fairness of the decision

“I trust that everyone is doing what they can to protect the sport. As a player, that’s all I can hope for, I just hope it’s more for the protection of the sport and not just out to, like, get players,” Sabalenka concluded, with an underlying concern about the system’s functioning. However, tennis is a game of perseverance!

Despite constant criticisms and trolling, Jannik Sinner still ended up winning the US Open and the Australian over the last 6 months, displaying an incredibly strong character in testing times. But will he be able to return in his full glory after a 3-month ban? What do you think?