Juan Martín del Potro Laments Loss of Credibility in Jannik Sinner Doping Case
Former US Open champion Juan Martín del Potro has expressed regret over the widespread damage to credibility in the wake of Jannik Sinner’s doping suspension.
In a press conference at the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro, del Potro criticized the handling of the case by the ATP, anti-doping authorities, and Sinner himself.
"Everyone has lost some credibility: the ATP, the anti-doping agencies, Sinner’s image," said del Potro. "I don’t think anyone has benefited from this."
Sinner, the world’s top-ranked player, was suspended for six months by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in August 2025 after testing positive for clostebol, an anabolic agent, in March 2024. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) initially sought a one to two-year suspension. However, Sinner reached an agreement with WADA, reducing his penalty to four months.
Del Potro questioned the timing of the announcement, which came just before the US Open and raised concerns about transparency.
"Sinner tested positive in Indian Wells (in March 2024) and the whole thing came out" only five months later, he noted. "Why did they do it before the US Open if the case was closed?"
Sinner has maintained that he ingested the substance unintentionally through a massage from a member of his entourage. The ITIA accepted his defense and imposed a lenient sanction.
Del Potro found this explanation unsatisfactory.
"If they knew about it for months and didn’t make it public, I don’t understand why they did it before the US Open if the case was closed?" he asked.
The case has sparked a debate about the consistency of anti-doping sanctions in tennis. Former world number one Novak Djokovic pointed out the "inconsistencies" in how different doping cases are handled.
Del Potro echoed these concerns.
"All I can say is that I find this whole situation strange," he said.
Sinner’s suspension will prevent him from participating in four Masters 1000 tournaments in 2025 but will not affect his eligibility for the three remaining Grand Slams (Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open).
Del Potro, who recently retired, believes the damage to tennis’s reputation is significant.
"It’s a shame that this has happened," he said. "Tennis is a sport that has always been based on fair play and sportsmanship. We need to protect its image."
The Sinner case has highlighted the challenges of maintaining a level playing field in sport and the importance of transparency and accountability in the anti-doping system. As the tennis world navigates the fallout from this incident, it remains to be seen how the sport’s credibility can be restored.
