Roger Federer's former coach Ivan Ljubicic has offered a very different view when it comes to the case of
Jannik Sinner in the court of public perception after he was taken to task. This after he tested positive twice for banned substance Clostebol in March.
It only came out though recently with an independent tribunal ruling that he bore no fault or negligence for the violations. Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov have bore a vitriolic view on the case.
But Ljubicic says that the colleagues he has spoken to have appear to discern a different view to the case and one that Sinner has not done anything wrong.
“I think by now the whole tennis world has understood what happened," said Ljubicic to
Sky Sports.
“Very few people think that Jannik really tried to do something forbidden. From what I read and hear, the only thing is that so many of our colleagues are a little surprised by the process that Jannik had and that no one had before him.”
“Speaking of the physical therapist himself, no one blames him for doing anything wrong. So many others, after Jannik’s team’s mistake, will try to be even more careful about all the products you take, you use, because WADA is getting fiercer and fiercer in the fight against doping.
“It’s more and more difficult, if you will. We tennis players are always travelling, maybe you’re on the other side of the world and you need an aspirin, something, and you never know what you’re going to find in it. These are situations that make the life of the professional tennis player complicated.”
But he also praised Sinner for continuing on amid having this on his plate and how strong he is mentally as an athlete to still be a winning force amid all of this.
"This makes us realise how strong he is mentally. I can’t know what it’s like to live with this information inside you for months,” he continued.
“He has still managed to be competitive, he has always played very well, won important tournaments like Cincinnati a week ago. Now he will certainly feel lighter, he will feel like he has taken a big rock out of his shoes and will finally be able to focus on tennis and try to play well at the
US Open that he hasn’t won yet.”