Roger Federer told to shut his mouth about Jannik Sinner's failed drug tests

Roger Federer told to shut his mouth about Jannik Sinner’s failed drug tests

Posted by Admin September 12, 2024 Tennis

In March, Jannik Sinner failed two drug tests. He was not suspended after a review by the International Tennis Integrity Agency even though the normal process has been to suspend a player and then lessen the ban after a formal review. Some have thought that Sinner got preferential treatment because he is the ATP No. 1.

A couple of the best players ever chimed in on how they felt the Sinner situation was handled. Rafael Nadal said that he believes Sinner did nothing wrong. Plus, he knows the Italian and understands him to be a stand-up person who would not cheat.

Roger Federer also had thoughts about the way the review of the failed drug tests was completed. The Swiss said that any mention of doping is not something tennis needs, whether a player took something intentionally or not. To be sure, Federer did not say he thought Sinner was guilty of knowingly doing something wrong.

Nadal’s and Federer’s comments came after ones Nick Kyrgios had which is that the Australian thought Sinner should automatically be suspended for two years before he can prove his innocence. To be fair to Kyrgios, this is the way the ITIA handled a similar issue with Simona Halep. She was banned for four years until her suspension was reduced after an appeal.

That Kyrgios took a negative view of the Sinner situation might have clouded how some viewed what Nadal and Federer said. This appears to be the case with former top-20 player Paolo Bertolucci (who happens to be a countryman of Sinner’s). Speaking on the La Telefonata podcast, Bertolucci saved most of his vitriol for Kyrgios, especially a photo the Aussie posted of himself and Anna Kalinskaya.

Kyrgios and Kalinskaya either used to date or simply be friends, but Kyrgios captured the photo of him and Kalinskaya with “Second serve” which appeared to be an attempt to insult Sinner for dating someone after Kyrgios did. Bertolucci said, “(He) can’t stand behind what he says. He made that obscene joke about the second serve, and someone rightly replied ‘then the first one failed’. But you can’t stoop to this level, come on.”

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About Federer’s comments, Bertolucci said, “Kyrgios and Federer? None of the two (were positive about) Sinner. You have to shut up and let it go. You can’t (talk) this story anymore.”

Bertolucci has a right to his opinion, of course, but Federer and Kyrgios have a right to speak theirs as well. Bertolucci has no right to tell Roger Federer not to talk about something he wants to discuss.