Many Believe There Was Favoritism

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow  | Monday, February 17, 2025
Photo credit: Richard Pelham/Getty

Novak Djokovic is singles Grand Slam king.

Many players see Jannik Sinner’s suspension as a sure sign there’s a double standard in how tennis’ elite stars are treated compared to the rest of the rank-and-file says 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.

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Prior to launching his quest for a 100th career singles crown, Djokovic met the media in Doha today where he was asked his reaction to Sinner accepting a three-month suspension to settle his doping case.

Former No. 1 Djokovic said he personally finds the case “strange” and shared other players believe the world No. 1 was shown “favoritism” in that his suspension ends in May.

The timing of the suspension means the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion will not miss a major and can continue his pursuit of the calendar Grand Slam.

“Jannik will have a three-month suspension due to some mistakes and negligence of some members of his team, who are working on the tour,” Djokovic told the media in Doha. “This is also something that I personally and many other players find strange.

“I have spoken to several players in the locker room, not only in the last few days but also in the months before.

“Most of them are not satisfied with how the whole process has gone and do not think it was fair. Many believe that there was favoritism.”

The 10-time Australian Open champion said the case spotlights the fact stars can afford legal teams and potentially a more favorable outcome.

“It seems like, it appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you are a top player, if you have access to the top lawyers,” Djokovic told the media in Doha.

Sinner is serving a three-month suspension that will ban him from tennis from February 9-May 4th to settle the case, the World Anti-Doping Agency announced on Saturday.

WADA had appealed Sinner’s case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with the Italian Davis Cup hero facing the prospect of a one year or more suspension if the appeal was successful.

Last March, Sinner twice tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol in “low levels” the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced in August days before the start of the US Open.

Two-time Australian Open champion Sinner was not suspended and permitted to play because an independent tribunal ruled he was at “no fault” for the steroid contamination in his system. The three-month suspension means Sinner will not miss a major as he chases the calendar Grand Slam.

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said in a statement. “I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.

“On that basis I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”

The Serbian superstar says when players see Sinner hit with a three-month suspension, while former world No. 1 Simona Halep and Briton Tara Moore were both hit with harsher sentences, they see a double standard in the system.

“Simona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years, or have gotten the ban for years,” Djokovic said.