Jannik Sinner doesn’t ‘deserve any of the hate’ as he nears return from doping ban, says Jack Draper
British No. 1 Jack Draper says Jannik Sinner doesn’t deserve the “hate he gets” as the Italian nears a return from a doping suspension.
Sinner is currently serving a three-month ban having twice tested positive for banned substance Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, in March last year.
The three-time grand slam champion previously escaped a ban when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that he wasn’t at fault for the positive tests, accepting that the contamination was caused by a physio applying an over-the-counter spray.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leading to Sinner accepting a suspension from February 9 to May 4.
Draper is a long-time friend of the 2025 Australian Open champion with the pair having met on the junior tour. The world No. 6 recently said he believes it was a simple mistake that led to Sinner testing positive.
“I think Jannik is a really, really genuine, nice person. And on top of that, he’s obviously an unbelievable player,” Draper told BBC Sport and The Guardian in a joint interview at this year’s Madrid Open.
“In this situation, I’m sure that he would have absolutely zero idea of anything. That’s just the way life goes – sometimes, there’s mistakes.”
Sinner will be eligible to play at the Italian Open next month, with the tournament starting on May 7, three days after his ban ends.
But his return to the locker room might be met with a mixed reaction, with not everyone satisfied with the way Sinner’s case was handled.
The 23-year-old’s ban, for example, meant he didn’t miss a single grand slam event and raised concerns in the sport.
Notably, Novak Djokovic said that the whole case was “not a good image for our sport” and suggested that many players believe there “is favoritism happening” in regards to anti-doping.
Meanwhile, British player Liam Broady told BBC Sport that it felt like the suspension was intended to “impact Jannik’s career as little as possible.”
Serena Williams also said she would have been banned for “20 years” and “gotten grand slams taken away” if the same thing had happened to her. She did, though, describe Sinner as a “fantastic personality” and “great for the sport.”
An ITIA spokesperson previously told CNN Sports that it approaches each case in the same way, “irrespective of a player’s ranking or status.”
In a February statement, Sinner said that he has “always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.”
And, for Draper, his relationship with Sinner has not been changed by the controversy which has seemingly divided the tennis world.
“In terms of actually how I feel about him as a person, I think it’s important for people to know and recognize that the guy’s very, very kind-hearted and a good human being,” Draper added. “So he doesn’t deserve any of the hate that he gets.”
Sinner won this year’s Australian Open and will be looking to win his first French Open title as the clay court season gets underway.
Draper and Sinner have practiced together in recent weeks, with the childhood friends meeting up in Monte Carlo as the Italian prepares for his return to the court.
The British star told BBC Sport and The Guardian that he didn’t speak much about the doping ban with Sinner, instead opting to focus on the tennis.
“He’s obviously had a bit of time off, but he’s playing at an incredible level still,” Draper said.
“I’m looking forward to having him back on the tour because I think his presence has been missed. It was great to be with him for a few days and get some good sparring.”
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