“Other cases have taken more months and years”: Former world No. 4 questions Sinner and Swiatek doping cases timelines

The recent doping case involving Iga Swiatek, just months after a similar situation with Jannik Sinner, continues to stir controversy in the tennis world. This time, former World No. 4 Greg Rusedski voiced his concerns, pointing out that the main issue is “how quickly” the tests were processed in both cases.

Two of 2024’s standout players were involved in these controversial cases. The Italian secured his first two Grand Slam titles this year and achieved the World No. 1 ranking in a historic season, regarded as one of the best in men’s tennis during the Open Era. Sinner faced no sanctions after it was determined that his contamination with Clostebol was without fault or negligence on his part.

On the other hand, Swiatek, who claimed her fifth major title at the French Open this year, was found to bear partial responsibility for ingesting melatonin contaminated with Trimetazidine, a substance banned by the ITIA. The World No. 2 received a one-month suspension, coinciding with the off-season, allowing her to return without issue for the start of the 2025 season.

Former US Open runner-up Greg Rusedski expressed his opinion on social media, responding to a user who argued that the Sinner and Swiatek cases were not comparable. However, the Brit suggested that both players received different treatment compared to others.

"This is all true, but I think the main issue is the speed of dealing with the positive tests,” Rusedski wrote. “Other players have been in the same situation, and it has not been dealt with in the same manner. As an athlete under WADA, you are 100% liable no matter how you are contaminated.”

“The whole Jannik Sinner case is interesting in how quickly it was dealt with compared to other cases, which have taken many more months and years,” Rusedski posted. “How is this accepted and resolved so quickly? The system needs to do better for all players, not just the very best.”

In other cases, provisional suspensions were enforced during the investigation, which did not occur with Sinner or Swiatek. Players who faced suspensions later found to be without fault include Simona Halep, Nicolas Jarry, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Dayana Yastremska. Other instances, such as Mikael Ymer and Jenson Brooksby, involved suspensions for missed doping tests despite no positive results.