“It is inconsistent and seems very unfair to me”: Novak Djokovic speaks on Jannik Sinner’s three-month suspension

Novak Djokovic has finally addressed the ATP Tour’s biggest controversy of the week: Jannik Sinner’s three-month suspension. The 24-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged that there is unease in the locker room, as some believe there is favoritism towards high-profile players, such as the current world No. 1.

Djokovic is a key voice on player concerns, particularly as the founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and a member of the Executive Committee.

"It’s clear the structure doesn’t work like this"

Arriving at the Qatar Open, this marked the first time Djokovic faced the media since his injury-related withdrawal at the Australian Open. The former world No. 1 did not hesitate when asked about Sinner’s case, as the Italian was suspended by WADA just days ago.

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"I spoke with several players in the locker room,” Djokovic stated. “Not only in the last few days but also in the previous months. Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone, and they don't think it's fair. Many of them believe there was favoritism."

“It almost seems like you can influence the result if you are a top player, and if you have access to top lawyers and so on,” Djokovic added, while also defending that 'Sinner and Swiatek are innocent, it has been proven.'

“Sinner will have a three-month suspension due to mistakes and negligence by some members of his team, who work on the tour. This is also something that I, personally, and many other players find strange.”

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The Serbian pointed out that similar cases, which received far less attention, were not handled in the same way. “We have seen cases like Simona Halep and Tara Moore, and other lesser-known players who struggled for years to resolve their situations or faced long suspensions. I think it’s really time to address the system, because it’s clear the structure doesn’t work like this.”

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“So yes, it is inconsistent and seems very unfair to me, and that is all I have to say about it,” the 24-time major champion claimed. “We will see what happens in the near future, whether this case will draw more attention and shed light on other cases involving lower-ranked players. And we must remember that Sinner and Swiatek were both world No. 1 at the time.”

Djokovic is now preparing for his Doha Open debut on Tuesday against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, a former world No. 6.

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