As it now turns out, Sinner’s win over Zverev in the final would be his last competitive match on the ATP Tour for over three months.

Sinner accepted a three-month ban from tennis following his doping violation in 2024, which will see him out of action until the Italian Open in May.

Several fans, players, and pundits have shared their thoughts on the news as former world number one Martina Navratilova suggested Sinner’s ban ‘stinks.’

Another former WTA star has now spoken out about the news, as she explains why she thinks the World Anti Doping Agency [WADA] settled on a three-month ban for Sinner.

Andrea Petkovic thinks other players would’ve taken advantage of WADA if Jannik Sinner wasn’t banned

Appearing as a guest on the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, former world number nine Andrea Petkovic spoke about the controversial ruling.

“The problem for WADA really because in their statutes it says you are responsible for your team, so if they let Jannik Sinner off they now have to contend with every single player that possibly gets tested positive,” she said.

“They will say it wasn’t me, it was my doctor, it wasn’t me, it was my coach, it wasn’t me, it was my physio.

“This is a strictly political decision, WADA has a win, and Jannik Sinner has a win.”

Petkovic also hit back at suggestions that Sinner had received ‘preferential treatment’ throughout the process.

“A lot of preferential treatment vocabulary is being thrown around,” she said.

“When the initial scientists decided that Jannik Sinner has not doped, not cheated, did not have any performance-enhancing things in his system, I remind listeners, they did not know that they are ruling on Jannik Sinner, I think that is so important to remember.

“Three to four different scientists and experts are presented with a case anonymously; they don’t know who they’re looking at, they just decide based on facts.”

The former French Open semi-finalist, did, however, recognize that the authorities handled the case differently because of Sinner’s high profile.

“There is nuance to it, when experts decided that he hasn’t doped and he doesn’t have performance-enhancing drugs in his system, there was no preferential treatment, they didn’t know it was Jannik Sinner,” said Petkovic.

“Now you can argue, I wouldn’t say preferential treatment, but the reasoning and the settlement has been found because he’s Jannik Sinner.

“WADA would embarrass themselves if this was drawn out, and then if CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport] rules there was no fault, then WADA would’ve dragged this poor player through all this dirt when the decision was made in the beginning.

“Because it’s Jannik Sinner people will care so WADA is risking being embarrassed in front of the whole world. 

“I don’t want to say preferential treatment because we’re still banning a kid who didn’t dope, so how is that preferential treatment?”

Nicolas Jarry says Jannik Sinner’s three-month ban is a ‘bitter pill to swallow’

Speaking during the Rio Open, world number 47 Nicolas Jarry gave his thoughts on Sinner’s suspension.

“I read that they declared that there was no intention or that he took advantage,” he said.

“I think there are many cases in which this happens, including mine.

“If it is that simple, if he only has three months, they should be like that with everyone.

“It is a bitter pill to swallow.”

The 29-year-old Chilean was banned for 11 months in 2020 after testing positive for Ligandrol and Stanozol.

Similarly to Sinner, Jarry was eventually found to have ‘bore no significant fault or negligence for his violation,’ as the length of his ban was reduced.

Having missed almost a year of action, Jarry returned in November 2020 before enjoying his career-best season last time out.

Jarry reached the final of the Italian Open last May, losing out to world number two Alexander Zverev in the final.

Having endured a tough start to his 2025 campaign, Jarry won his opening match in Rio on Tuesday, beating Juan Manuel Cerundolo in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Jarry will return to the court on Wednesday to take on another Argentine, Francisco Comesana, for a place in the quarter-finals.