Roger Federer has given his reaction to Jannik Sinner's doping saga, which divided a lot of opinion in the tennis world, and much like his former ATP rival Novak Djokovic, he called for more consistency.
The Italian's doping saga has been one of the biggest stories in the world of tennis this year. A lot has happened this year, including Djokovic finally winning the gold medal at the Olympics, but the impact of Sinner's doping case will be felt for many years to come.
It might actually impact how the whole process unfolds in the future. Sinner's case garnered a lot of attention due to how the procedure was followed.
Although all the rules were adhered to, many pundits, analysts, and current and former players took issue with how it was handled because Sinner was never provisionally suspended, apart from a couple of days, like some other players.
Many wondered whether that would have happened if it were some other players, and it was a valid question. Djokovic wants to see more consistency in how the rules are applied, which is something his former rival Federer echoed as well.
Federer was asked by the Today programme about the doping case, and he shared his opinion on the matter. Obviously, it's not something he or anybody likes to see in the sport, regardless of how it happened, whether by accident or intent.
"It’s not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not, or any player did. I understand it’s a tricky situation. It’s the nightmare of every athlete and team to have these allegations and these problems because we fill out these forms all day every day."
Federer also understands where most of the rage of others comes from. It's not about Sinner but the process and how it happened. People have questions, and they will ask them. The sport had the top player, the world number one, involved in a doping case, and it was a tough situation for everyone involved.
"And it lives with you. Every morning when you wake up, you think, ‘Is somebody at the door coming to test me?’ So it’s really difficult. I understand the frustration of, ‘Has he been treated the same as others?’ And I think this is where it comes down to."
Federer, like some other colleagues, backed Sinner's version of the story. He's been a longtime admirer of the Italian, and Sinner has grown up idolizing Federer, so there is a lot of mutual respect between the two.
However, the problem arises if the process is not trustworthy, and Federer wants to see a bit more consistency in that area.
"I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency potentially that he didn’t have to sit out while they weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered. But look, it is what it is, and we need to trust the process as well of anyone involved here."