Novak Djokovic points out Jannik Sinner 'red flags' after top stars complained

Former world No.1 Novak Djokovic has criticised the "red flags" around Jannik Sinner's drugs ban in early 2025. The Italian accepted a three-month suspension for two positive drug tests in 2024.

Sinner initially escaped a ban after a tribunal accepted that two failed tests for clostebol - an anabolic steroid - were caused by contamination from a bare-handed massage from his fitness coach. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed that he bore "no fault or negligence" for the discovery in March 2024.

The ITIA last year defended its handling of Sinner's case and insisted he had not benefited from preferential treatment. Sinner settled with the World Anti-Doping Agency in February, which had appealed the initial decision not to suspend the player.

The current world No.2 then went on to serve a three-month ban between February and May this year. The timing of the suspension meant that Sinner was able to return for the French Open in late May.

And Djokovic, who lost to Sinner in the semi-finals of that tournament and Wimbledon in July, has offered his opinion on the Italian's case

"Over time, it will fade, but I don't think it will disappear," he said. "There's always going to be a certain group of people that will always try to bring that forward.

"I've known Jannik since he was probably 13, 14 years of age, and I was practising with Sinner a lot of times when he was a junior. I liked him, actually a lot, and he always came across very genuine, very nice, very quiet. He had his own world, and he didn't really care too much about the lights of society, so to say.

"He just wanted to be the best player he can be. And I like that. I liked his mentality. So when this happened I was shocked, honestly. I do think that he didn't do it on purpose. But the way the whole case was handled [has] so many red flags.

"There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience of the ban coming between the [grand] slams, so he doesn't miss out the others. It was very, very odd. I really don't like how the case was being handled and you could hear so many other players, both male and female, who had some similar situations, coming out in the media and complaining that it was a preferable treatment."

Djokovic has been the subject of negativity over his stance during the Coronavirus pandemic. He was deported from Australia, after arriving to play in the 2022 Australian Open, because he had not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

"The only thing I would add - not to really dig deeper into this whole situation on Covid and vaccination - is that I was never a proponent of anti-vax or pro-vax," Djokovic said. "I was always freedom of choice. And that was misinterpreted."