Rafael Nadal shared his thoughts about Jannik Sinner's doping case, which received many different reactions.
Tennis players don't often test positive for a banned substance. Knowing the high risk of testing positive due to frequent tests and also being respectful of the integrity of the game, not many even try to intentionally dope.
Still, every now and then there is a case when a tennis player tests positive for a banned substance, like it was in the case of the current World No. 1 player on the ATP Tour.
Sinner tested positive for clostebol, which is among banned substances, as an anabolic steroid, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing and allowed to continue, even during the period when the investigation was carried out.
That was because when he was initially provisionally suspended, for a very brief period of a couple of days, he gave a good reasoning to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) regarding how the banned substance entered his body.
The Italian player stated that he was contaminated through his physio's hands. He applied a cream containing the substance to his wound, and when massaging the player, it probably spread to his body.
Still, some tennis players, most notably Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, Liam Broady, and Vasek Pospisil, were not happy about how the case was handled, voicing their frustration on social media.
Most of them clearly stated that it wasn't about Sinner as a player, but they weren't happy about how the case was handled compared to some other players, like Simona Halep, who couldn't play for more than a year, despite eventually being cleared.
Halep also shared her thought about the case, saying the judge acted differently in her case, but she wasn't too keen on speaking about the Italian's case a lot, maybe out of respect for the player, as when it comes to handling of the case, he's not the one to blame.
Former World No. 1 player on the ATP Tour and 22-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal is one of the most prominent players in the sport, and that's why many were eager to know his opinion about the matter.
Unfortunately, he's currently not competing at the US Open, which means that press couldn't ask him the question directly at Flushing Meadows, like most of the players, who were quizzed about the topic.
However, the Spaniard sat down with the Spanish publication El Hormiguero for an interview, during which he was also asked about Sinner and his doping case.
Nadal was clearly aware of some of the statements made by fellow players, who weren't happy with how the situation was handled, stating that people have to accept justice even if it doesn't suit their beliefs.
"I don't believe in that Sinner wanted or meant to dope. Justice is justice and we don't have to like it only when they decide what we want them to decide."
The 38-year-old didn't have any comments about the handling of the case, saying that if the judge decided that Sinner was innocent, there was no other option than the Italian being indeed innocent.
"If he hasn't been sanctioned, it's because the judge has clearly seen that he hasn't doped. I don't think they have judged him as innocent simply because he is the World No. 1."
Right now, Nadal is spending time away from the tennis courts, but he should return to action fairly quickly. He has stated multiple times that he will be competing at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin, Germany, held from September 20th to 22nd.
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