Sinner, Kyrgios attacks doping and Fritz blurts out: “Enough with the accusations”

Nick Kyrgios against Jannik Sinner, once again. The term doping in tennis is back in the news with the suspension of Iga Swiatek, number 2 in the WTA ranking, and the Australian tennis player resumes his battle against the blue. Sinner, who tested positive for clostebol in spring 2024, was acquitted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency but risks disqualification after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Swiatek was stopped for a month for a positive result caused by a contamination linked to the intake of a drug containing melatonin and regulated without a medical prescription. The product is sold in Poland and is taken, among other things, for jet lag problems.

The affair reignites the debate also on the case which also involves Sinner and gives new life, in particular, to those who ask for very severe measures regardless of the evaluation of the documents. Kyrgios, in particular, has been calling for a heavy disqualification for Sinner since August. And now, with the Swiatek case in the spotlight, the Australian is raising his voice again. “Our sport is doomed,” he writes on X, referring to the lack of credibility linked to sanctions that are too soft. Hence, the barrage of Sinner-related tweets.

To those who ask for a ‘risky’ prediction in tennis for 2025, Kyrgios replies: “Our number 1 will not fail a doping test”. And to those who suspect a conspiracy in tennis because “they (?) think we’re all stupid”, the Australian replies: “Both (Sinner and Swiatek, ed.) simply didn’t know.” Kyrgios is not the only one to take a critical position on the circuit. The Canadian Denis Shapovalov, another ‘anti-Sinner’, laconically comments “one month ban eh”.

Fritz’s outburst

There are also those who, however, cannot tolerate superficial judgements. This is the case of the American Taylor Fritznumber 4 in the world just beaten by Sinner in the final of the ATP Finals and in September in the final of the US Open. “What drives me crazy about these situations aren’t the cases themselves,” Fritz says.

“It’s hard to know exactly what happened/all the details in all these specific cases, so small talk isn’t really my favorite thing. It’s okay to have your honest opinions, but what I can’t understand and what upsets me as a player is prejudice crowds of tennis fans who support whatever version is in line with their position. If a rival of the player they support tests positive, then they’re part of the ‘let’s call him a dope/cheat/disgrace him as much as possible’ team. If the matter concerns their favorite player, then he is ‘innocent, no questions asked’,” says the American.

“How do you not remove personal bias and form an educated and honest opinion? Even if as a player you can prove your innocence (I’m not saying anyone is or isn’t) people who support opposing players are prejudiced towards you and will always continue to blindly claim that you are a cheater. This fact really makes me sad for all the real innocent players who have to go through this“, conclude.