"A lack of consistency": Novak Djokovic understands conjecture surrounding Jannik Sinner doping case
ATP
Novak Djokovic understands the frustrations of players when it comes to the case of Jannik Sinner's doping scandal and also used it as an opportunity to advocate for PTPA.
Djokovic spoke ahead of the US Open and like other players he was quizzed about Sinner. But unlike other players who remained fairly mute about the subject, Djokovic opened up on his view.
He said that he sees a lack of consistency and how he was cleared as soon as it was announced compared to others with Simona Halep's case used a lot in comparison. Her career sat in limbo and unlike Sinner, she wasn't free to play.
Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov have been vocal against the issue as a whole and the perceived double standard how the World No.1 gets away with it of sorts while others have to wait.
“Jannik's case, you know, as I said, these kind of instances are the very reason that why we founded PTPA that is always advocating for fair protocols, clear protocols for standardized approaches to these kind of cases.
"I understand the frustration of the players is there because of lack of consistency. As I understood, his case was cleared the moment basically it was announced. But, you know, I think five or six months passed since the news was brought to him and his team.
"So, yeah, there is a lot of issues in the system. We see lack of standardized and clear protocols. I can understand the sentiments of a lot of players that are questioning whether they are treated the same.”
Djokovic finally practiced today against fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka. He curtailed his practice against Holger Rune yesterday disappointing fans on Arthur Ashe due to discomfort. This put his US Open potentially in doubt with Carlos Alcaraz also suffering an issue on Saturday. But practicing with the Swiss ace alleviated concerns.
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Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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